PACIFIC NEWS PICTURES

The 798 Art Zone: A Maturing Creative Cluster?

Michael Waibel & Philipp Zielke

The Beijing 798 Art Zone (北京798艺术区) is certainly the most famous cultural district within . It is located on a spa- cious factory site of a former military-industrial project from the 1950s. At that time, it was realized with the support of architects from , who were responsible for desi- gning many buildings in style. Already during the late 1990s, avant-garde Chinese and designers started to move into the mostly derelict area. The site soon became the blossoming epicenter of contemporary art in China. It was finally saved from bulldozing before the Beijing Olympic Games and has turned into a popular urban leisure area not only for the emerging bourgeois bohemians (Bobos), but also for an increasing amount of international tourists. As a pioneering art zone it became a role model for Entry Gate of Beijing 798 Art Zone the development and management of many other creative spaces in China. Source of all pictures: Michael Waibel 2012

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In 2012, China displaced the U.S. International attention even in- Art Zone as integral part of its city as the leading market for fine arts creased when Beijing prepared for branding. It is a vivid symbol of by sales value. Just one decade ago, the Olympic Games: As a conse- the success of the so-called “Se- many of the now internationally quence, the municipal government cond Transition“, the overall strive renowned Chinese artists moved officially recognized the 798 dis- to restructure the economy from into an abandoned factory complex trict as a creative and cultural clus- the “factory of the world” towards in the northern suburbs of Bei- ter in 2006. This led to a booming more value-added production and jing. The site had formerly served development. A Belgian couple services based on domestic innova- as a military factory, constructed opened the biggest non-profit place tion. In that way, “Made in China” and developed by China's socialist for contemporary Chinese arts, the is meant to become “Created in brother countries East-Germany UCCA gallery. In 2008, already 150 China”. It shall represent creativity and the . The pioneers galleries could be found within the and is standing for the presumably rented cheap workshops and were area. But this also put pressure on vast reservoir of talents, in a wider only tolerated by the local govern- individual artists, who were not able sense also for tolerance. However, ment at that time. to afford the rising rents anymore. the latter has apparently strict li- During the following years, re- Consequently, many of them were mits as the ongoing controversy valorisation of the industrial buil- forced to move out. In spring 2012, around is showing. dings began on a bigger scale. Al- gallery managers complained to the Nowadays, the 798 Art Zone ready in 2003, six galleries had been authors that the number of people can be labeled as maturing crea- established, subsequently the district interested in buying original art has tive cluster. The initial phase of witnessed a phase of consolidation. dramatically decreased during the bottom-up development has been Global media coverage promoted past years. In contrast, the number succeeded by a phase of consolida- public attention of the “798” area, of people just wanting to experi- tion. Its maturing character can be which soon gained an unique repu- ence the site as leisure area has sur- traced back to its complete passage tation as the hotspot for modern ged. Also, the district has become of a cycle. This went Chinese arts. Nonetheless, specula- a popular spot for shooting wed- along with a massive commercia- tion of property developer compa- ding photos. Recently, 798 served lization of the whole area into a nies and state fear of potentially cri- as a fancy stage for big commercial hotspot for urban entertainment. tical artists threatened the district in events such as the China Fashion Individual artists have increasingly its very existence – indeed, many art Week or an Armani fashion show. been displaced by galleries, presen- villages around Beijing had already Meanwhile, the local government ting Chinese fine arts to the global been demolished before. of Beijing has embraced the 798 arts scene.

Michael Waibel [[email protected]], PhD, Senior Researcher and Project Leader at the Department of Geography, University of Hamburg, Bundesstr. 55, 20146 Hamburg / Germany.

Philipp Zielke [[email protected]], M.A. of Chinese Studies, Project Researcher at the Department of Geography, Uni- versity of Hamburg, Bundesstr. 55, 20146 Hamburg / Germany.

More photos of 798 Art Zone at flickr

http://www.flickr.com/ photos/23925432@N07/ sets/72157630009840696/

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