MAXIMUM CITIES

With the rapid growth of technology, the world does seem to be getting smaller. Today we are linked with cities and countries all over the world we never thought possible. Through these links people are able to survey the ever changing global landscape, including the birth and expansion of new major cities around the globe. Maximum Cities: Beijing, Bombay, Buenos Aires takes a look at the emergence of these three cities located in China, India and Argentina respectively and the many facets of their continued progress as they climb into the driver’s seat as the worlds new cultural hubs. Maximum Cities illustrates how these cities have morphed into the exciting and technologically advanced cultural epicenters that they are today, examining the phenomenon of the urban sprawl as cities reach new gigantic sizes both vertically and horizontally.

Beijing has been propelled into the spotlight after the 2008 Olympic Games where their awe inspiring fireworks, and futuristic stadiums were broadcast the world over. The city itself has undergone tremendous development over the past two decades as businesses look to the capital to build their Asian headquarters. The city sprawls an astonishing 16,801.25 km2 (6,487 sq mi) and boasts a population of 22,000,000 people who call Beijing “home.” There is a vibrant art scene in Beijing with art districts popping up all around the cities 16 districts. It is here that the iconic CCTV building by OMA Architects exemplifies the old meets new motto of the city with its thoroughly modern take on ancient Feng Shui principles. It is here that artist Ai Weiwei creates his world renowned sculptural pieces in the Caochangdi art district and visitors flock to Dashanzi to visit the 798 art space.

 Paling comparatively in size, Bombay in India has been undergoing a radical transformation. Twinned with some of the most famous cities in the world (among them, Berlin, London, and Seoul to name a few) Bombay is striving to become a key location for the exchange of ideas as well as commerce. Though the city spans only a modest 437.71 km2 (169 sq mi) Bombay has a booming population of 13,830,884 citizens. The cities new buildings are built higher with each passing year with the Imperial Towers reaching 60 stories and the proposed World One building reaching 117 stories by the year 2014 to accommodate its population as well as the influx of visitors and people doing business in the city.

In recent years there has been a large influx of tourism to Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires with tourists snatching up one of kind paintings by street artists plying their trade on the streets of the South American cultural hot spot. A Hispanic country with a distinctly European feel, Argentina is an ethnically diverse melting pot of European immigrants. The city is only 203 km2 (78.5 sq mi) but its influence is far reaching as exhibitions showcasing Argentinian artists working in the capital have hit big name commercial galleries in America as well as Europe.

As these countries expand their influence over the world, this exhibition tracks their progress through urban expansion, architectural development and artistic expression.