A journey through history

Ancestor Figure, wood, Leti Islands, 19th to early 20th century. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Shanghai, being an "enormously energizing, booming and powerful city with different connections", was deemed as a great location for the Met to share its collection with international audiences, Hollein adds.

"When I was last here in Shanghai, it was four and a half years ago. I visited the construction site of the Museum of Art Pudong, and saw not only the possibility of this building but also the ambition of its location."

The Met has close ties with many esteemed museums in China, and this exhibition at the Museum of Art Pudong could lead to more possibilities and long-term collaborations with the institution, he notes.