Be an artist and add to the installation of Mo Yi at the Opposite House

During these cold winter days in Beijing, you might come along the streets of Sanlitun. And when the icy wind makes you shiver, stop by The Opposite House - the boutique hotel with the green glass front - for a hot tea or a tasty lunch - and for some fun creativity.

The Opposite House is hosting an installation of Mo Yi (see press release below) and is inviting guests to interact. Get your eyes photographed and think about issues related to sight. Write it around your photo in your language and let it be part of the growing installation. - You will also get a copy as a souvenir to take home.

You can be an artist while in Beijing.

This reminds me of a quote of the German provocateur artist Joseph Beuys: " Jeder Mensch ein Kuenstler" - everyone (is) an artist - meaning, that everyone can be creative and reflecting . It does not take much - and it makes the world a better place.

The installation will be running until December 31st 2011. The interactive session is from 11.00am to 2.00pm daily in the atrium of The Opposite House, Beijing. The photographer will be taking photo of the guests and adding the new photos to the installation.

Free Ai Weiwei !

Artist Ai Weiwei in the ruins of his demolished studio in Shanghai in January 2011 (via Getty Images)

Ai Weiwei (or Ai Wei Wei), probably the most internationally known Chinese artist who often criticises the Chinese Communist Party for many good reasons, is still detained in Beijing by police since April 3rd.

 Ai Weiwei's international popularity allowed him - so far - to express outspoken social critics without being arrested. However, according to himself, he was dangerously beaten up by Chinese police while protesting in Sichuan after the 2008 earthquake where hundreds of schoolchildren died due to poorly built school houses.

There are many other Chinese artists that make money by selling art to the international market that's subject is criticising former chairman Mao. But there are not many artist that dare to openly criticize the actual government.

Although, Mr. Ai continuously built up international relationships with galleries and museums in the US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Austria etc. and additionally used the new media twitter (#Aiww) to create a kind of public protection around him, he lately was under house arrest in Beijing and now is detained.

I am really sad and shocked to hear what happened to Ai Weiwei.
I liked to live in China, I liked Beijing.
I like the Chinese cultural heritage.
China's economical power is growing and Chinese citizens are proud of their nation.

Why on earth does the Chinese government need to detain this artist?

Most of the Chinese citizens will not care about Ai Weiwei, I am afraid. They will believe the government that this silly old man has committed a tax fraud or so.

When I say "FREE AI WEIWEI", I am not (only) saying that to the Chinese officials, I am saying this to the Chinese people. Please, stand up, stand behind him. His critics are human. He is not asking much. He is a bright and intelligent man. His art is not commercial as the one of many others. He is doing this for a better China. - When this man is arrested, they can arrest anybody.

When the German chancellor Merkel is asking to "Free Ai Weiwei", most of the Chinese people will not understand her and dislike this involvement - as they did, when she said something in favor of the Dailai Lama. Chinese citizens are proud of their nation, once again, they do not like to be criticised by the West.

It is like someone is talking bad about your parents. You need to grow up to understand that your parents are not always right. It feels like most Chinese have not grown up yet. And this is why I feel sad for Ai Weiwei: While he is putting his live at danger to improve human rights in China, most of the Chinese don't care.

This dilemma drove him abroad where he made sure his concept work and installations become well-known in the art world. But as a Chinese born he also feels connected to China and therefor lives in Beijing with studios in Beijing and Shanghai - the latter was demolished by the government in January 2011. However, he was said to open a gallery in Berlin soon and even move there. He must have felt very unsafe.

It is in the Chinese mentality that critics are not appreciated by superiors. - Will this ever change?


Here more information about Ai Weiwei and his detention at New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/world/asia/04china.html?_r=1&scp=8&sq=ai%20weiwei&st=cse
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/a/ai_weiwei/index.html

And check blogger Peking Duck's post with over 200 comments of both sides:
http://www.pekingduck.org/2011/04/the-global-times-and-ai-weiwei/

You may also like this post with my links to Ai Weiwei:
http://beijingnotebook.blogspot.com/2009/10/60-years-people-republic-of-china.html

*** Comments and critics are welcome! ***

UPDATE May 3rd:
Still nobody knows where AWW is detained.
A friend gave me this link to read:  http://www.economist.com/node/18560351, an article about China's recent crackdowns by The Economist from April 14th, 2011

UPDATE May 16th:
His wife met him yesterday (May 15th) for 15 minutes after 6 weeks of no notice. They give him his medicine, they do not torture him. At least a sign of life. His wife said, he seemed very quiet/serious and only said he does not understand for what he is accused. More discussion on this subject was not allowed during that meeting.
I hope they will let him go soon.

This Saturday in Beijing : Urban Carpets by Instant Hutong

click on flyer (including map) to enlarge

Stefano Avesani from instant hutong send me an email to post about their event on this Saturday in Beijing. Thanks, I love to announce it here on my blog.  -   If I would still be in Beijing I would definately go. I love the atmosphere of the neighbourhood in hutongs, the small aleys in old Beijing ! And the photos of the previous exhibitions of Urban Carpets look so interesting.

Here the details :

URBAN CARPET 8x5 · 都市地毯8x5

四 4th one day-only exhibition

2009年10月25日, 11am – 6pm

NEIGHBOURHOOD COURTYARD - 社区庭院
no.17 Cao Chang Tou Tiao, Xian Yu Kou Di Qu, Chong Wen District

北京市崇文区鲜鱼口地区草厂头条17号

完美地体现了源于近几年北京郊区在不知所措地迅速变化中的矛盾。房地产政策的目的是鲜鱼口社区原住民的再次回归。对城市的传统性的描述都不适合鲜鱼口,当前是特别有趣的城乡结合。城镇的空间和自然的空间,农村的习惯和现代设备的结合，细微地体现于北京的都市中心。

Xian Yu Kou district perfectly embodies the contradictions stemming from the rapid transformations which overwhelmed Beijing neighbourhoods in the past few years. The target of real estate policies has been partially abandoned and the spaces have recently been re-occupied by the former inhabitants. None of the traditional city descriptions can suit Xian Yu Kou, which is, nowadays, a surprising and totally fascinating combination of city and countryside, urban spaces and natural ones, rural habits blended in with contemporary facilities. This micro phenomenon is taking place at the very centre of the large metropolis of Beijing.

Works by·艺术家 :

MARCELLA CAMPA & STEFANO AVESANI - http://www.instanthutong.com/

photo via instanthutong

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I would love to hear from anyone who went their, please leave a comment.

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60 Years People Republic of China

Happy 60th birthday to PR China and its people !

Yesterday, the world could see the big party and parades on Tiananmen Square.

The Chinese government is good in well organizing big public parties and knows how to ensure good weather!

A hillarious parade of good looking tall Chinese female soldiers (above is a training photo by Reuters)

The media including internet provides tons of information and comments about this birthday and China in general.

I decided to provide the following links on this occasion  :

Ai Weiwei,  contemporary Chinese artist, blogs another kind of birthday speech for his motherland about 60 years of shame and ignorance.

At the moment Ai Weiwei stays in Munich (Germany) where he got operated because of an injury that he claims happened during beiing beaten up by Chinese police. But the main reason is the upcoming opening of his exposition "So sorry" on October 12, 2009 at the Haus der Kunst in Munich.

Don't miss Ai Weiwei's article on Times Magazine reflecting on the subject. 

(Images : Reuters)

Urban Carpets by Instant Hutong

urban carpets - 8 pieces 180x180 cm - embroidery on canvas

This serie of 8 carpets by Instant Hutong are representing different maps of hutong areas in Beijing with a size of approximately one square kilometre and a population of 30000. Each of them has been isolated and presented as autonomous town within the big city. They are embroidered by hand with the same technique of the propaganda slogans on large fabrics used by the communist party during the seventies. The carpets have been filled with white wire wool insertions.



All along year 2009 the urban carpets will be shown to the Hutong dwellers inside the courtyards and on the public lanes in order to share the project with people and bring it back to the city districts it was inspired from.





The people behind Instant Hutong are the Italian artists Marcella Campa and Stefano Avesani. They are focusing on the urban growth of Chinese cities and their transformation since 2003. In June 2005 they won the international Archiprix prize in Glasgow with a project for the Hutongs in Beijing. In October 2005 they moved to China and started working on the Instant Hutong art project and on a parallel research on contemporary Chinese urban habitat. After studying and working in China and Europe, they established their own architectural practice in Beijing.

(photos and text by Instant Hutong and their portfolio on Behance Network)

The Chinese Way

China had tried to dissuade Christie's from auctioning the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) bronze rabbit and rat heads sculptures that were part of the art collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. China argued that these sculptures, which were looted from the Summer Palace by Anglo-French allied forces during the Second Opium War in 1860, belong to China.

But the Chinese objection was rejected by the French court. However, Pierre Bergé offered to give back the sculptures to China when China frees Tibet ...

As everybody knows by now: The two relics were auctioned on February 25 for 14 mio. Euro (almost 20 mio USD) EACH (!) to an anonymous telephone bidder in Christie's sale of the collection in Paris.

And, surprise, surprise, the winning bidder is a Chinese man, Mr.Cai Minchao, who has no intention paying for the treasures looted from Beijing.

I thought it is a fun story to demonstrate the Chinese way of making business or politics. Smart and tricky. Beware!

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Related Post: What you need to know when doing business with Chinese

Beijing based Artist: Vanessa Notley

My friend and Beijing based artist Vanessa Notley is having another exhibition this weekend ! She and two international fellow artists are showing paintings, sculptures and drawings.


Opening Drinks:
Saturday, November 22, 2pm - 6pm

Exhibition Times:
Sunday, November 23, 2pm - 6pm
November 24 - 26 by appointment
phone 13520300177

Venue:
Beijing International Art Camp, Studio B6
Suojiacun, Laiguangyingdonglu
Chaoyang District
100103 Beijing, PR China

See invitation for Chinese direction & map:




Some of Vanessa's sculptures:

off with her head...

ladies (almost life-size)

flower (of little feet)

Here a short resumé of Vanessa Notley's artist life:

"Scottish born artist Vanessa Notley has been living, working and exhibiting in Beijing for almost three years. Before coming to China, she lived in France for many years where she studied and worked at the École Nationale des Beaux Arts in Bourges before moving to the South of France. She continues to be represented by the galleries AL/MA in Montpellier and Jacques Girard in Toulouse.
Vanessa Notley’s work plays with language (words and sounds, translations and entertaining idiomatic expressions and meanings) and with a certain humour and flexibility she seeks to give language a visual, tangible and sometimes nonsensical form in steel and fabric."
(source: invitation to her exhibition at Embassy House, Beijing on May 18th - 23rd 2008):

For further information please contact:
Vanessa Notley
Beijing International Art Camp, Studio B6
Suojiacun, Laiguangyingdonglu
Chaoyang District
100103 Beijing, PR China
vanessa.notley@gmail.com

Blind Date in Dashanzi

Recently I was contacted by one of my readers. Emma, a professional photographer from the UK, was planning a trip to Beijing (among other destinations in Asia) and asked me if we could meet. She found me via my blog which inspired her travel planning. So one morning she had arrived in Beijing and called me. We fixed a blind date for the next day afternoon.

Her speciality is botanical photography, and as I wanted to propose a flower stand to be featured in urbane, the magazine I am writing for, I had this idea to do some quick photo shooting together in Liangma Flower Market before heading to Dashanzi. I thought it is a nice coincidence. You never know, maybe the magazine decides to buy her beautiful pics. Among others Emma is preparing a garden photo exhibition in the UK and plans to export the concept to Asia.


So that afternoon, Emma cycled all the way from her Kelly courtyard Hotel in the West to our house, where we first met. I was impressed. She only called me once from a public phone (I have never tried that before) to get directions: 'From that Embassy, do I have to go East or West?' - Emma is another proof that it is a prejudice that women have no orientation. We got along like we knew each other before. She is very easy and looks very Greek. - Then off we went to the Liangma Flower Market. It was interesting to observe a professional photographer. She has an eye and she works fast. She has different discs for different subjects.


Then we left for Dashanzi, 798 Art District. Also here pre-Olympic construction! Deep trenches for canalisation are bordering every single street. Mountains of earth narrow the ways. Some galleries and cafes have disappeared. Parking areas, new shops and new galleries are on the way.


What looks like an art installation is just another new gallery opening soon.

What a great weather to visit Dashanzi Art District. I love that factory atmosphere.

Factory and excavator in 798 - working class meets art meets tourists

Someone new in the neighbourhood...

... and someone leaving soon (exhibition ends Sunday April 6)

Emma and I spent an hour in this Beijing art district without visiting one single gallery. The whole site itself is an attraction. You can find art everywhere. We both liked this graffiti. (It is not for sale.)

Art is everywhere.

Princess Haiku?

Photo Source: Suzie from BeijingNotebook

Beijing Images by Peter Kurz

Peter Kurz from Munich is a talented photographer and his photos are art to me - not only because they are beautiful, also because they transport what I like about Beijing. Last November he and our common friend visited me in Beijing and we did most of the sight seeing together. When we exchanged our photos - he sent me his on a CD packed in a sweet surprise Christmas parcel full of Lebkuchen and Marzipan - I was so excited to see how he saw Beijing through his lens. I got his permission to publish some of my favorite pictures. I picked 11 for this post (click on the picture to enlarge).

The first day of my friends’ arrival we grabbed our bicycles and cycled to the Houhai area. The picture above was taken from the Drum Tower around 5pm and shows the view to the South.

We cycled back home through Donzhimennei Dajie a.k.a. Ghost Street where this picture (above) was taken in front of one of the many many restaurants that open 24h and have plenty of red lanterns hanging outside. It is called Ghost Street because it never sleeps.

This photo (above) is taken in the Forbidden City, in the area of the concubine quarters. The ox blood red of Chinese ancient walls, its different washed-out tones always fascinates me.

Main gate of the Forbidden City with Mao painting at Tiananmen Square is a must see at night. The picture was taken out of our driving car.

This is the oldest shoe shop in Beijing, south of Tiananmen. I like the reflections in the window.

Here ends the 'red series' and below starts Peter's 'blue series'.

This night shot shows one of the largest screens in the world at The Plaza shopping mall, just north of the Silk market.

Buddhas and monks at the Panjiayuan weekend market a.k.a. the dirt market. I like the photo composition. It is vivid and serene at the same time. It contains contrasts like eternity and erosion, mind and material. Sized-up and mounted it would be great photo art.

Panda at Dashanzi 798 Art District, sprayed on the wall by artist 'AP'. Beside red walls, I like grey brick walls in China. It is part of Beijing’s scruffy charm. Seldom there is graffiti, only in areas where its wanted. And 798 is one of my favorite places for a fun walk on a Sunday afternoon.

I also like Beijing parks where old people gather to play games or exercise hobbies. I like this picture because it shows that Chinese people do smile! It shows two happy women, one plays a traditional Chinese two-string violin, the erhu, and the other one likes her interpretation of a famous piece (I guess).

The photo above shows a food stand at night near Wangfujing. I like everything in this snap-shot: the expression on the young woman's face, the simple Chinese screen door, the steamy kitchen and windows - can you see the water drops on the window? Nice shot!

Chinese 'Plattenbau', the communist architecture for residential buildings. Very simple, very grey, very dull. Despite the new architectural highlights in Beijing, this is still the dominating landscape.

Beijing is a city with many faces, although many old faces vanish, some will remain and make every visit memorable.

***

Photographer: Peter Kurz, Munich Germany, email: perz(at)arcor(dot)com

Bio:
Peter Kurz, born in 1968, works as a medical doctor in Munich. Beside sports and travelling (thereof many trips to Asia) his interest is photography since the age of 15. This passion began with a second hand Minolta XG1.

Peter Kurz, Jahrgang 1968, tätig als Internist in München, neben Sport und Reisen (darunter zahlreiche Asienaufenthalte) seit dem 15. Lebensjahr begeisterter Fotograf. Die Leidenschaft begann mit einer Minolta XG1 (gebraucht gekauft).

All above images source and copyright Peter Kurz, Munich.

Beijing: 1949 - The Hidden City

1949 - The Hidden City will be a new hot spot in Sanlitun opening in late March 2008.

It is a "multi-restaurant and bar siheyuan, resurrected from China's modern history, located in the heart of Sanlitun. With over 40 mature trees, the 1949 - Hidden City is 6,000 square meters of neo-chic walled privacy nestled in Beijing's party district. Featuring indoor and outdoor restaurants, cafés, bars, gardens, terraces, event spaces, a private members' club, and a contemporary art gallery, 1949 - The Hidden City takes the concept of the commune to a new level of get-down harmony."

This was quoted from the press release.

And I saw it, the work is in process, the interior not ready, but from what I saw, it will be a hit. It will be better, nicer, cosier and hopefully more authentic than the Shanghai Xintiandi area. 1949 (or nineteenfortynine) is located behind the Pacific Century Place in Gongti Beilu. It is on the areal of a former factory and recovers one red brick building from it. The new buildings around are build from the same material, red bricks, using additionally lots of glass and wood. The buildings are lay outed and connected like in a traditional siheyuan, a courtyard house.

What is the meaning of '1949'?
It was in 1949, when the Communist army, the People’s Liberation Army, formally entered Beiping in January and, and gave the new capital the name "Beijing". On October 1st 1949, Mao announced the formation of the People’s Republic of China.


At 1949 on offer soon: (see my comments in italic)

Gallery49
Join Gallery49 in an open, forum of discussion with artists who are currently under the spotlight in the contemporary Chinese art milieu. Debut exhibition starts early April. (The gallery space it self is very limited but the art can/will be on display all over 1949. A sculpture garden is planned.)

Sugar Bar
Café of choice for all in the area who know and love good coffee, and all things sweet. (This sounds very promising!! And it is located in a glass house - although Comptoire de France will not be easy to beat, maybe design wise)

Duck De Chine
Beijing's most innovative duck restaurant. Authentic Peking Duck sits well with some of France's best loved renditions of the noble bird … all washed down by the best beverage accompaniment, Bolli Champagne!
(uuuh... what a combination?!)

1/5 taverna
1/5 taverna is Beijing's 'escape' restaurant and drinking spot. In a rustic-chic warehouse-inspired space, share comfort food, dance on the table, play a tambourine. Over to you! (Originally they planned a Mexican restaurant with live Mariachi music... although I love Mexican food, even that type of music - but please, only in Mexico! Not in a siheyuan in Beijing.)

Noodle Bar
Noodle Bar is Beijing's best kept secret for those looking for a traditional, integrity-filled, artisanal, hand-pulled wheat noodle experience.
(It seats only 12 people around a square light wooden bar, no reservations will be taken)

1/5
Ultra-lounge bar and loft. Featured DJ gets down with old-school sounds whilst bartenders put the perfect drink in the mix.
(This is in the building that is claimed to be part of the original factory. Will be a great bar over two floors)

Well Bar
We made use of an old fire-fighting water well and turned it into an outdoor beer bar. Shady trees, ice-cold 1949 beer.
(They even plan to brew their own beer... I guess, Tsingtao or Heineken will also on the list. The outdoor bar is the spot in the middle of everything).

Club49
A private members club devoted to cuisine, fine wine and art culture enthusiasts; Club49 is Beijing's only club that harmonizes good taste, good fortune, and the good life. (Targeted on rich Chinese, I guess.)


Who is behind this entertainment project? 1949 is conceived by Elite Concepts, one of the Asia’s leading hospitality groups. Founded in Hong Kong in 1991 by Paul Hsu, Elite Concepts manages a diverse portfolio of restaurants & bars in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Jakarta. Outlets in Hong Kong include yè shanghai in Pacific Place; cinecittà and 1/5 nuevo; Dirty Duck Diner at The Broadway, Wanchai and yè shanghai Kowloon at the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel. Outlets in Shanghai include yé shanghai in Xintiandi, yé shanghai in Pudong, the naked cow on Dan Shui Lu and Deng G on the Bund, our new Sichuan restaurant.

Remark: I had the chance to visit the project earlier this months (and posted briefly about that). As the press release is out, I think I can also advertise with some pictures.

Colors in Beijing

It is cold and grey in Beijing these days. Many are suffering from a flue. Some have even more discomfort with unwelcome visitors: Due to the ongoing cold weather, and maybe due to the Year of the Rat on the doorstep, at night a bunch of mice are painting the town red... My house is on their party list too. Traps with cheese are loaded for tonight. I hope they move on somewhere else.

My grandmother said, dreaming of rats brings money. But I am not sure if that goes for mice in the house as well.

Anyway, here is some beautiful colorful art work to cheer (me) up:


These are two new paintings from the artist Fang Xiang. I love the serene atmosphere he is creating in his paintings.

Painting 1: Leisure time in Courtyard, 2007 - 68 cm x 68 cm, 52.000 RMB
Painting 2: Early Spring, 2007 - 68 cm x 68 cm, 52.000 RMB
Any further information: Creation Gallery, Ritan Park North East Corner, Beijing, tel. +8610 8561 7570

Beijing: Dashanzi 798 Art District

On a sunny Sunday afternoon we like to go for a walk at Dashanzi Art District. Kids can run around and adults get something to see. 798 Art Zone or Dashanzi Art District is in the North East of Beijing. It used to be a military factory 50 years ago. The destruction is on hold regarding the Art District's role as tourist attraction during the Olympics next year.


The area is often called the 798 Art District or Factory 798 although technically, Factory 798 is only one of several structures within a complex formerly known as Joint Factory 718. Read more and more...


Some impressions from Dashanzi 798 this year: