Alberto Giacometti, one of the greatest sculptors and artists of the 20th century, is widely regarded as the embodiment of the spirit of modernism. Artistic images including the sculpture of "walking man" created by him, owning to the depiction of the postwar human psychology of the 20th century, have become immortal masterpieces in the art history. As one of the spokesmen of the modern art of the 20th century, Giacometti has profound impact on the development of the postwar modern art, and has been an artist acclaimed by the world’s community of artists. Therefore he is widely recognized as "the artist of the artists". He has also influenced many Chinese artists` practice as well as their perception of modern art.
Speaking about the figure of the "Walking Man" (1960), Mr. Budi Tek, founder of the Yuz Museum says, "he seems to move forward, against all misfortune, toward an unchartered territory of which he is not afraid… It’s that wide freedom of movement that Giacometti’s walking man conveys to me. Today, it is my honor and humble pleasure to be able to bring for the first time to China at the Yuz Museum in the West Bund of Shanghai, the Alberto Giacometti Retrospective." Giacometti’s retrospective is curated by Catherine Grenier, director of Fondation Giacometti, who previously served as the deputy director of the National Museum of Modern Art – Centre Pompidou, with the associate curator Christian Alandete. The exhibition present about 250 works owned by the Fondation Giacometti, which becomes a comprehensive overview of the artist's career spanning half a century, including the most iconic "Walking Man" (1960), "Spoon Woman" 1927 (1953 version), "Walking Woman" (1932), "The Nose" (1947), "The Cage" (1951). The exhibition covers the entire career of Giacometti from his early years, the cubist and surrealist period all the way to the 1960s’ prolific period. Giacometti’s widely acclaimed works, such as portrait drawings, paintings, photographs, manuscripts and other archival material, will provide abundant clues for comprehensive understanding and appreciation of his art. ‘Intimate Paris and vertical New York’ shape sharp contrast in Giacometti’s art. The extremely tiny works that he created in his 23-square-meter studio in Montparnasse, Paris and the later works - huge monumental bronze sculptures created for New York Chase Manhattan Plaza, will form strong visual tension in the scene. His legendary Paris studio is displayed in full size on site. The existential spirit and humanism conveyed will become the most thrilling part of the exhibition. 
The exhibition is not only a comprehensive review of the artist`s creation career, but also tries to reflect the culture and life of an exciting era after the war in the 20th century. Giacometti very early on became aware of the importance of the photographic image, and his atelier rapidly became a space for the mystification of the artist. There Giacometti had posed for many greatest photographers of the era including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Man Ray, Irving Penn etc. Giacometti was also close to numerous cultural figures of his age such as Samuel Becket, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean Genet. An abundant of related works will be presented on site as an inseparable part of the exhibition. This exhibition attempts to provide multi-dimensional viewing experiences to audiences by restoring the humanistic sceneries of the artist’s time. For example, a Giacometti’s Café will be brought to the museum in full size according to model of one of the café that the artist frequently visited in Paris

Curated by Catherine Grenier et Christian Alandete