Dozens of works by the Spanish master will be shown in Shanghai this week. The pieces, insured for more than 400 million yuan, include the oil painting Napoleon's Nose. Deng Zhangyu reports.

Art lovers in Shanghai can expect a feast by the late Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali beginning on Thursday, when a show by the foundation created by him returns to the mainland after 14 years.

Images of melting watches, giant eggs, elephant with long and thin legs, all representative of Dali's style, have been placed inside and outside K11 art mall in downtown Shanghai.

The show, Media-Dali at the art mall's gallery will have more than 200 pieces by Dali including paintings, installations and sculptures.

The exhibition, a collaboration between K11 Art Foundation and Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation is the first step for the Dali foundation's "regular and sustainable shows in China in the coming years", says Juan Sevillano, managing director of the Figueres-based Dali foundation.

In 2000 and 2001, the foundation held Dali shows in museums in Beijing and Shanghai.

"We want to have regular exhibitions in China. We need to be prepared. Media-Dali is being held to attract people who don't go to museums," says Sevillano.

The works on display have been insured for around 400 million yuan ($63.32 million).

The top two works on display are oil paintings, Napoleon's Nose and Dematerialization Near the Nose of Nero. The former is insured for around 56 million yuan.

There' are 12 paintings and two drawings at the show. But beside the paintings and other art, the foundation also displayed model parts of Dali's residences to give visitors a better understanding of the painter.

Sevillano says that the aim of the show is to show Dali as understood by the media in the last century.

Dali was a pioneer when it came to building a brand. He did this in the 1920s, and he is still popular today.

The exhibits also include about 300 newspaper and magazine clippings. The clippings either have stories on Dali or are pieces written by him.

Items that Dali once used in his creations like a magnifying glass and a palette are also on display.

Sevillano says the foundation is here to help educate art lovers in China about Dali. He says that if this is not done, it will lead to an unstructured and disorganized market for Dali's works in China, especially for his sculptures.

"Everything in China is exciting. It's rich and has lots of energy. But some buyers might have bought something not made or authorized by Dali, " says Sevillano.

He says the foundation wants to educate people so they understand what they are buying.

"China will have another large retrospective of Dali one day. We're working on it. It takes at least six years," says Sevillano.

He also says that some Chinese museums are talking of cooperating with the foundation to promote works of the Spanish artist.

Meanwhile, another Dali show, Dali's Fantastic Universe, was held in Shanghai in September.

Held at Bund18, it displayed about 300 works by the artist.

It was organized by Stratton Foundation, whose founder claimed to be one of Dali's dealers.

The K11 Art foundation held an exhibition of Claude Monet's works last year in Shanghai.

Shanghai has a taste for art, says Adrian Cheng, the founder of the K11 Art Foundation.

Contact the writer at dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/03/2015 page18)