GALLERY owner Jeff Zou is a lover of art and of Shanghai. As his gallery AroundSpace reopens at a new location, he explains why he was drawn back to his homeland after 13 years.

Dressed in scruffy sneakers, odd-shaped specs and sporting an ear stud, 47-year-old gallery owner Zou is charming, witty and exuberant. He may hold American citizenship, and a degree from London, but it's in Shanghai that he chose to open his art gallery.

It was a path that could have never happened - in his younger days. Zou helped out with the family business, and never considered that pursuing his passion for art could be an option.

But then, Zou was never one to abide by the rules. He started out studying ocean law at Cambridge but never completed the degree. In 1987, he transferred to Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design at London University where he began a degree in fashion studies - much to his father's surprise and displeasure when he called home to inform about this decision only after graduation.

After 13 years away from Shanghai, Zou was drawn back. "I went to some of the places I used to frequent as a child only to realize how these places frozen in my head turn out to be so different when you actually revisit them again," he said.

Nevertheless, he decided to stay. "Many people tend to think Shanghai is a large pressure-cooker where everything moves so fast. But it is here that I find lots of space and privacy for reflection and solace."

A gallery is born

On a trip back to Shanghai 10 years ago, Zou first turned down his friend's invitation to start an art gallery; after all, contemporary art galleries were rare back then. Like his family before him, he was only interested in collecting art. But something his then-partner said moved him to change his mind.

"When you have been out of the country for so long, one word can really make a difference," Zou said. A good friend suggested, "Let's do something different, something Chinese that's close to home and heart."

It was only years later in 2006 that he began AroundSpace with his now-wife Ming Chen. Originally, the gallery was on Weihai Road. It was a huge space, but the underground ghetto feeling at the time took away from the viewers' experience.

So the search for a new home began. Warehouses were out of the question because of Zou's dislike for white walls and gray floors, which he thought made art look ordinary.

The Bund was earmarked as a potential area for the gallery's new home due to its rich historical significance. The old financial district recalled Shanghai's golden era of the 1920s and 1930s, which appealed to Zou who was fond of preserving a slice of yesteryear. He thought the old-time feel would add character to his contemporary art collection.

"One of the more important things about walking through an art gallery is feeling it thoroughly. Not everyone drops in unless they know the address, and that's OK. We are not a supermarket catered for mass appeal.

"Managing a gallery is a very personal thing where every detail must be controlled. It is not just a job you can delegate to anyone," he said, describing the difference between working in his father's company and coming out on his own.

Gallery life

Zou's gallery mainly features Chinese contemporary art and culture, supporting both young and well-known artists from China and around the world. French artist Alexandre Joy once showcased a collection that engages all five senses, which Zou thinks is something Chinese people can relate to.

Zou derives the most joy from sitting alone in his gallery the night before an opening. It is a moment of rest after a hard day's work as well as solace from enjoying a moment of personal space.

"Some people have a love relationship with art. For me, art soothes my nerves. A friend once said to me: it makes me well, like medicine," he laughed. Another medicine is Zou's three-year-old daughter who, he said, taught him forgiveness, human weakness and how to let go of things that bind you.

For him, art is a way of understanding the world, as he shares deeply about religion, philosophy, morality, humanity and society. "We see things different because we are brought up and educated differently. However the core of our identity never changes. You cannot change the blood that runs through you."

Zou says Chinese artists are starting to do more work related to their own culture, while collectors and dealers are also more open to accepting their diverse forms of expressions. Previously, artists were only very successful when they adhered to what their audience wanted.

Chinese at heart

In Shanghai, Zou's circle of like-minded love art for art's sake and not for investment purposes. When they go out, they do so in style - restaurant hopping around the city, ordering a few small dishes to pair with the exquisite bottle of liquor they bring along. Because people come and go all the time in this ephemeral existence of a city, time spent this way is all the more treasured.

But while one might be quick to judge Zou as a rich second-generation (his first vehicle was a Ferrari), deep down he has a deep respect for his Chinese upbringing.

"When my uncle handed me my first car keys at 17, he taught me the value of appreciating and respecting the privileges that have been given to me," he said.

This respect for little things in daily life has played a role throughout his life - from polishing off the last two grains of rice in his bowl, to his style of curating and collecting art today.

And adjusting to speaking Mandarin has been easy - Zou was forced to speak Mandarin at home growing up. His parents told him adamantly: "If you don't use it, you will lose it." For him, language not only plays an important role in character building, it also affects a person's thought and deed.

On his current preference for speaking Mandarin, Zou quotes a Lin Yutang: "a man realizes he is a Chinese after he is 40."

So how long will jet-setting Zou stay in the city that drew him back? "I love Shanghai for its acceptance toward diverse cultures," said Zou.

Jeff Zou

Nationality: American

Age: 47

Profession: Director of AroundSpace Gallery

Self-description: A man born out of time

Q&A

Favorite place:

Former French concession area

Strangest sight:

There's nothing strange to me now. I think I'm fully adapted to life here.

Worst experience:

In the local hospital waiting for several hours, and talking to doctors for several minutes.

Motto for life:

Time is everything.

How to improve Shanghai:

Maybe slowing down a bit will be good for lots of things, such as the environment, health and life.

Advice tonewcomers:

First you need to respect local culture and local people.