798 Art District
November 30th, 2009Yes I’ve been lazy. To friends who I’ve spoken. most of you would heard about me raving about my splendid 2 weeks trip at in Beijing in June 2008 (right before the Olympics). Being caught up with assignments, work, never ending photo-edits and more excuses, I’ve failed to share my experience on my blog! I apologise. Thanks sweeties for the constant complaints of not knowing what Eevon did in Beijing. Yes, I must agree that this blog which is all about me would be so incomplete if there’s nothing at all about this city that I will never forget ever. Thus, from now on, do expect more posts on my Beijing experience!
My 2 weeks in Beijing was a cultural-study trip on the intellectual, cultural and historical traditions of China. As a supporter of the arts, I shall start with a special place that has significant importance to a niche segment of China’s population, the avant-garde artists in Beijing. 798 Art District.
This place used to be the centre of socialism. Now it’s the centre of modernism and individualism. Puzzled? No worries, I will elaborate further.
As state-run factory estate designed by the East Germans in 1954, 798 Art District was an emblem of China’s industrial production and a symbol of the country’s brotherhood with fellow socialist countries. 47 years later, Chinese avant-garde artists from the outer margins of society set up studios and lofts in 798 Art District; marking the beginning of 798 Art District’s iconic role in new modern Beijing.
This place practically showcases China’s ideological shifts in history. Over here I became conscious of how contemporary Chinese art has transformed from a deviant activity to a source of international prestige in modern China. It was also heartening to find that the presence of a cultural base as opposed to an industrial one in 798 Art Zone suggests the appreciating value of the creative middle class in China’s economic growth.
798 Art District is a really big huge industrial estate where many of the spaces were designed by the artists themselves and as such reflects their own particular aesthetic tastes and interests while creating an ambiance of which their audience anticipates. This aligned with the cultural change in modern China where popular cultural attitudes shifts from society-oriented to individuality.
I found numerous slogans of the Mao’s era in 798 Art District such as “Learn the theories of Chairman Mao, Defend the theories of Chairman Mao.”, “To sail in the sea you need a great helmsman, to do some revolutionary work you need the theories of Chairman Mao”, “Long live the great Communist Part of China!” and etc. It was kinda bizarre to imagine people worshiping Mao as thought he is a deity. Then again, he’s the great helmsman. Everyone was seen walking around with a little red book when he ruled China.
In any case, the diversification of artistic outlets at 798 Art District is astonishing. Various cafes, galleries and clubs refashion the social and physical spaces of Chinese culture. And yes! Pink Maos are funkier. We can’t helped but thought that there were more underlying meanings behind the choice of using pink.
798 Art Districts houses trendy international and Chinese regional restaurants such as the Jianghu Western Restaurant and Sichuan No.6 Restaurant designed by the artistic community at 798 Art Zone. We had a hearty lunch at Tianxiayan Restaurant located at 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District.
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That large bowl of beef in oily chilli oil and Sichuan pepper corns numbed my lips and tongue! Other dishes were ok though personally, I thought that the Sichuan fare I had wasn’t very spectacular. However from what I know, this three-floor restaurant on the southeastern part of 798 is usually packed on weekends.
In a way, these restaurants reinterpret Beijing through the interrelationship between consumption, popular culture and space as the growing importance of social interactivity in activities such as dining, clubbing, theatre and performing arts places high value in atmosphere and aesthetics.
From its industrial beginnings, 798 Art District had transformed into a symbol of modern China that hosts foreign dignitaries and tourists and formed alliances with former capitalist adversaries. Apparent a Sony product promotion was launched in 798 Space Gallery and Yan club, a former factory cafeteria had transformed into a landmark of fashionable place to be in Beijing which had hosted the renowned British band “Morcheeba”. In addition to the frequently held art events, 798 Art District is also the new hot spot for commercial activities where many large enterprises such as Omega and Nike chose to hold product promotions and related commercial activities.
Sigh. Let’s just hope the artists at 798 Art District can sustain the unique undertone in their works to look at China’s industrial past in today’s context.
It is important to note that the artistic community at 798 Art District had won a stunning victory against their limitations as a minority in spreading new ideas and culture.
As a proud symbol of a modern and creative Beijing that blends the contemporary generations’ inherited past, acquired present and anticipated future within its space, 798 Art District is a space that celebrates the individual and portrays nuances of red china unpretentiously.
A visit to 798 Art District is a must if you like Chinese contemporary art and want to catch glimpses of China’s industrial past.
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798 Art District
Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District
