Yesterday was my first experience of a tube cancellation in Shanghai, after being here for more than two months! It’s funny how the announcement was made, a loudspeaker was placed by the ticket entrance and the same message kept repeating itself, again and again. Because it was so loud, it took me 10 mins before I started listening to the announcement. I was so used to blocking off all the sound in Shanghai, the honking etc, I didn’t register what it was saying.
Although I really miss London peak hours (mostly the Londoners tube etiquette), I don’t miss the delays..
Posted 8 months, 2 weeks ago at 19:54. Add a comment
This was definitely one of the best shows I saw at Cao chang di. It reminded me very much of Anish Kapoor’s work, appeared simplistic on first impression but the work was intricate, complicated and the visual experience was very mesmerising. It was very nice to see work that did not employ any ‘Chinese’ symbols and purely focused on the abstract forms and the sublime experience.
As I was not allowed to take photographs, please check out the link below for images.
http://www.art-ba-ba.com/mainframe.asp?ThreadID=28382&ForumID=8&Category=&lange=cn
Posted 8 months, 2 weeks ago at 19:10. Add a comment
I didn’t quite realise Cao chang di was a different art district from 798 until I was looking for Galerie Urs Meile at 798 – slightly embarrassed! However, I was very glad I made a separate trip to Cao Chang Di on a clear sunny day and not in the evening when it was pitch dark. Unlike 798, Cao chang di was quite hard to find, especially for a foreigner like me. Thankfully the taxi driver was kind enough to ring up the gallery, otherwise, I would be walking around in a deserted factory area..
Cao Chang Di is a very weird place, these newly built galleries seemed so out of place in the neighbourhood. Galerie Urs Meile is a Swiss Gallery and it felt like they not only set up a branch in Beijing but they also brought with them the architecture, the way of life to the place. Inside the gallery compound, one could almost forget he/she is in Beijing.
Andrea, if you’re reading this.. you’d check it out next time you’re in China!
Posted 8 months, 2 weeks ago at 19:10. Add a comment
It only took me two years to finally make it to Beijing to visit the much talked about 798!
798 is located about 30mins outside Beijing city centre and the factory turned art district felt very cold and lonely on a bitterly cold, grey winter day. The entire area seemed distant and because of the size of the place, there were few visitors and I missed all the ‘posers’ taking photographs at M50! 
However, having said that, I was glad to have been and I was quite amazed how nearly all the established galleries in 798 were showcasing Chinese contemporary art, hardly any foreign exhibition was on except Anthony Gomley’s solo show.
Sun Yuan and Peng Yu
Among the many artworks I saw, I really like Sun Yuan and Peng Yu’s work. At the UCCA, a piece of their work previously rejected by the Liverpool Biennale had turned into something different. In their original proposal, it featured four “dead Beatles” mannequins floating facedown in a lake. The rejected proposal was documented and in the film and re-exhibitied in UCCA. Despite the controversial aspect, there was a certain comedy value added to the work, showing in a different context and also in a very orange room.
Another piece of their work, ‘Old Person Home’ exhibited at Saatchi Gallery earlier this year was also really amazing..
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/yu_yuan.htm?section_name=china_art
Iberia Art Centre
Being an artist, it was always nice to see how other artists work. At Iberia, there was an exhibition showing the Work In Progress, presenting the intention and experimentation of 28 artists. As it was an exhibition ultimately, some of the experimentation seems quite elaborate and complete while others were sketchy and in progress.
798 Photo Gallery – 姚璐
Chinese aesthetics – modern interpretation, I think it’s really powerful.
Ai Wei Wei – solo show
The world map made of hand cut linen, the layering was beautiful but I’m very doubt the hand made element of the work was created by Ai Wei Wei himself. Probably another production by the ‘assistants’!
Beijing Commune – 刘建花 －Horizon – Paper made by Ceramics
Knife/ photo installation – thankfully they’re not real…
Posted 8 months, 2 weeks ago at 18:23. Add a comment
Sometimes in China, things can be a bit rough and ready. This time, I was very lucky to find an electrician who seek perfection in the work. The way he glued the light socket onto the acrylic box was brilliant, he was using a syringe to help direct the flow of the glue… no mess, just perfect!! An ingenious idea…
I love it when I’m learning something new everyday!
My first light box and many more to come…
Posted 9 months, 1 week ago at 10:14. Add a comment
Life can be hard in China…
Posted 9 months, 1 week ago at 09:47. Add a comment
696 Weihai Road art studio is in the heart of town and I was expecting it to be quite similar to 田子坊 (Taikang Road), commercial arty place but to my surprise, it was quite the opposite. Most of the galleries were by appointment only and the few that were opened did not open to public. Even though I didn’t get to see much, the light was so beautiful that afternoon, I left feeling rather upbeat…
Posted 9 months, 1 week ago at 01:41. Add a comment
