798 Art District is one of Beijing’s most exciting sights and is a leafy, low-key alternative to the city’s vertiginous skyscrapers and futuristic glass buildings.
Part of the Dashanzi area in Beijing’s Chaoyang District, 798 has a laid-back village atmosphere with quiet tree-lined streets, an abundance of art galleries, intriguing street art, public sculptures, cool terrace cafes and international restaurants. It feels like the perfect place to come on the weekend for brunch and a leisurely stroll in the sun. I’d love to say that it’s a hidden gem, but in fact 798 is the third most visited sight in Beijing.
The Tour
To see the very best of the art district, Bespoke Beijing organised a 4-hour private tour with art expert Sophie McKinnon. We visited a number of prominent art galleries including the expansive 798 Space Gallery, Long March Space and UCCA (China’s largest privately funded art museum). Sophie also pointed out interesting street art and told us the story behind 798 and how it exists today.
History of 798
798 began as an art community in 2001 when artists moved in to the neighbourhood and set up studios in former military factories, including Factory 798 which originally produced electronics. Many of the galleries have preserved the Maoist slogans and the original features of the factories, creating a unique backdrop for the artworks.
Following a boom period in 2007 when 798 became the coolest, most creative place to be, many artists were priced out of their studios and no longer work there. However, a handful of commercially successful artists can still be found working from the art scene that they built up from the ground.
Zhao Bandi
As a special part of the tour, Sophie took us to meet artist Zhao Bandi in his studio. The Beijing-born artist became internationally known for his provocative works featuring China’s national symbol, the panda. Responding to the rise of consumerism in China, Zhao Bandi turned himself into a brand through performance art, blurring the lines between fiction and his own life.
One of his most controversial works was the Bandi Panda Fashion Show at Palais de Toyko in Paris, featuring models dressed in his signature panda designs representing social groups and issues in China, including the mistress, the corrupted government worker, the beggar and the escort service girl. Critics lashed out at Bandi for supposedly airing the country’s dirty laundry in a foreign country and disgracing the proud nation, but he remained undeterred.
Bandi was preparing for the premiere of his new film Let Panda Fly when we visited his studio, Bandi Panda House. Less dividing than his previous work, the film tells the real-life story of creative children encouraged to make their own panda art to raise money for charity.
Meeting Zhao Bandi and discussing the Chinese art scene with him was the highlight of a brilliant art tour. When visiting Beijing, put the 798 Art District at the very top of your itinerary.
For more information on the 798 & Artist Studio Tour by Bespoke Beijing, visit: www.bespoketravelcompany.com
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