Dutch artist Smilde creates cloud for Art on the Bund

Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde created a cloud in No 1 Waitan Yuan, one of the oldest buildings on the Bund in Shanghai, on Thursday to mark the opening of the Art on the Bund 2025 International Art Festival, which runs through Nov 26.

Known internationally as the cloudmaker, Smilde started the Nimbus project in 2012, by creating miniature clouds with water and smoke in a diverse array of indoor locations worldwide, from cathedrals and galleries to coal mines. These clouds could exist for no more than a few seconds, just enough time to be photographed. The transient beauty and rich metaphorical meaning makes each location unique.

"It's a beautiful building," Smilde said of No 1 Waitan Yuan, which is one of the oldest buildings on the Bund and was once home to the British Consulate in Shanghai.

"I like the architecture here, the details, the colors, the contrast between the inside and the outside, the new and the old, and also the nature and culture that represents this location."