“In the aesthetic point of view freedom is formlessness”.
Salvador Dalì
Officially opened to the public on Sunday, July 13, 2025, “The Form of Dalí” is an extraordinary exhibition dedicated to the Master of Surrealism, Salvador Dalí.
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Serensia Woods resort in Hengqin, China, this immersive exhibition is the result of a remarkable collaboration between Serensia Woods, under the visionary leadership of founder Amber Li, and the Dalí Universe, supported by leading figures in the Chinese cultural and tourism sectors.
Thanks to the synergy between Serensia Woods and the Dalí Universe, “The Form of Dalí” stands as one of the most evocative and ambitious exhibitions of Dalí’s work ever presented in Asia.
In her opening remarks, Amber Li stated: “Bringing this exhibition to Hengqin has been a journey of more than a year. We believe that art plays a vital role in fostering awareness, mental well-being, and cross-cultural dialogue. This event is just the beginning of a broader vision”.
The grand opening evening, held on Friday, July 11, welcomed over 170 guests into an atmosphere brimming with enchantment, symbolism, and surrealist wonder.
Among those present at the opening ceremony were Dr. Marco Franchi, Vice President of the Dalí Universe, who shared insightful reflections on the cultural and spiritual significance of the exhibition, as well as on the profound connection between Dalí’s art and the Chinese audience.
Featuring around 150 works from the prestigious Dalí Universe Collection, the exhibition leads visitors on a multisensory, immersive journey into Dalí’s visionary world. On display are bronze sculptures, lithographs, jewels, and a selection of elegant dresses, housed within a captivating, interactive installation that brings the surreal to life.
For the first time in China, the exhibition presents two monumental bronze sculptures from the Dalí Universe Collection: “Dance of Time I”, the iconic melting clock that embodies Dalí’s vision of time as fluid and relative; and “Horse Saddled with Time”, a striking composition featuring one of the Catalan artist’s favorite images, a horse saddled with a Dalinian clock.
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“Soft watches are nothing more than paranoiac critical Camembert, soft, extravagant and unique in space and time”, Dalí once said. To the artist, time and space could not be separated. The bronze sculptures “Dance of Time I” and “Horse Saddled with Time” vividly portray time in its dreamlike, elusive, and metamorphic form.
More than just a venue for the exhibition, Serensia Woods becomes an active participant; an immersive stage where every detail becomes an extension of Dalí’s vision. In harmony with the resort’s philosophy of holistic well-being, the exhibition integrates multisensory experiences, including Dalí-inspired creative workshopsand immersive themed dinners.
During the opening night, guests were treated to a culinary experience inspired by Dalí’s legendary cookbook “Les Dîners de Gala”, where each dish was conceived as an edible artwork, a theatrical fusion of gastronomy and imagination.
This unique blend of art and wellness has captured the attention of international figures in both the cultural and tourism spheres. According to the exhibition’s curators, one of the key goals is to position Hengqin as a new hub for international art and wellness culture.
Salvador Dalí declared: “Form is always the product of an inquisitorial process of matter – the specific reaction of matter when subjected to the terrible coercion of space choking it on all sides, pressing and squeezing it out, producing the swellings that burst from its life to the exact limits of the rigorous contours of its own originality of reaction”.
And it is precisely Dalí’s idea of form that “The Form of Dalí” exhibition invites us to explore, offering the opportunity to discover the shape of the Master of Surrealism through the collection of works from the Dalí Universe.
The exhibition “The Form of Dalí” will remain open to the public until October 20, 2025, inviting visitors on a dreamlike journey through the timeless universe of Salvador Dalí.
Image: Salvador Dalí’s “Dance of Time I” in Hengqin, China. Photo @serensiawoods