Solid C2 Chair by Patrick Jouin to be shown at Minding the Digital [Photo provided to China Daily]

Shenzhen has over the last few years been transforming itself from a labor-intensive manufacturing city into a hotbed for creativity. One of its innovation initiatives is the launch of Design Society, a cultural hub in Shekou, once a booming industrial zone, to be opened to the public in October.

An inaugural exhibition, titled Minding the Digital, will be held at its main gallery. It will explore the influence of digitalization by showing cross-disciplinary works of some 50 artists and designers. It will discuss how digital technologies can strengthen the connection between one and others, and renovate the relationship between traditions and people's lives.

Design Society will be located in the Sea World Culture and Arts Center. It is a collaboration between the State-owned China Merchants Shekou Holdings and the London-based Victoria and Albert Museum.

The London museum provides expertise in the development of Design Society. The V&A has also named a gallery after it and will hold an opening exhibition when Design Society is unveiled.

The exhibition, titled Values of Design, will examine how different values have motivated the progress of design. On show will be 250 works in V&A's collection, spanning from AD 900 till modern times.

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