Since the first artists set up in Da Shan Zi’s newly vacated 798 factory in 2001, the East German-built industrial compound has become a world-famous center of contemporary Chinese art. Alongside the studios and galleries, there are also chic cafés, bars, and restaurants, not to mention a growing number of designer shops and showrooms. The area is popular with tourists, who arrive by the coach-load.
798 Space
UCCA
Galleria ContinuaIberia
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Brave new worlds1985 marks the arrival of the avant garde in Chinese art, with controversial student graduation shows igniting intense debate in artistic circles. The following year, a New York gallery introduced the new Chinese art to an international audience. Today, China’s art market is the third largest in the world. |
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Maoist graffiti
When many of the abandoned factory spaces were being converted for use as galleries, the artists instructed the decorators to leave untouched the giant Maoist slogans that had been lettered on the walls by the former workers – as at 798 Space. “Mao Zedong is the red star in our hearts,” reads one.
graffiti-daubed wall in the factory compound
White Space
Foreign art dealers are already present in numbers in 798. The striking White Space was one of the first such galleries, a branch of the Berlin-based Alexander Ochs Gallery.
Galleria Continua
Beijing’s outpost of Italy’s Galleria Continua is located in a former munitions factory. This gallery, which aims to stimulate cultural exchanges, hosts shows by renowned international artists such as Chen Zhen, Daniel Buren, and Anish Kapoor.
Caochangdi
While 798 is looking more and more like a retail outlet, nearby Caochangdi has emerged as a truly cutting-edge art district. It is the home of Ai Weiwei, China’s influential architect, who designed a number of buildings in the area, including the gallery space for Urs Meile.
798 Photo Gallery
In addition to often excellent and regularly changing exhibitions of work by both Chinese and foreign photographers, the gallery also has a couple of mezzanine levels where a selection of photographic prints for sale are displayed.
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