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The 798 Art District
The 798 Art District
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people from around the world had taken an interest in this communal art
space, also with the help of the academy these new forms of art had gained
their acceptance from the government and artists began flowing in and
Beijing, Dashanzi became flourishing with life once again.
The new art space gained popularity quickly and caught the eye of
many investors and famous artists who believed that this is just what the
community needed; a new cultural beginning. The time of the new created
798 Art Zone was limited and was set to be dismantled and repurposed in
2003 upon the expiration of the lease. All though many artists and designers
ignored there short three year leases and continued to reinvent the space
including Xu Yong an artist and business who spent five months and over one
million yuan renovating and constructing the biggest art gallery in the zone
(Huang and Cui). Despite the popularity of this new hub the proprietors,
Seven Stars, stopped issuing leases and planned for demolition in 2005.
Artists quickly launched a campaign to stop the demolition, and with the help
of Li Xiangqun, an artist in the space, a professor at the academy, and a
representative in the congress, the municipal government protected the area
from demolition. In 2006 the 798 Art district was placed in a municipal
agenda to promote creativity, and placed a government management office
within the district to supervise activities and end the government's fear of
political challenge by the artists to their regime (Zhang).
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Areas such as the 798 Art district are a relatively new phenomena to
occur within china, moving the country from its former production based
economy to a more consumption based economy (Currier). These art centers
that are contained within old industrial parks are not uncommon throughout
most of the world, generally western societies, but are fairly new to China
due to the recognition of the importance of art in both its historical aspects
and political impacts. Concerned with Beijings morale and tourist economy
city official wanted to rebrand these old abandoned factories and create a
new identity for the capital. Piggy backing of ideas such as Floridas creative
city ideology, which promotes the need of humans to have inspirational
places to live, work, and visit thus raising citizens morale and promoting
capital (Peck). Although the 798 Art District is one of the most widely known
and effective cultural rebranding project of the 20th century it is not the first
beautification project that China has subjected itself too.
Around the time that the original 718 factory complex was being
created Chairman Mao and the Soviet forces began realizing just how
powerful these beautification projects could be. They began remodeling
places that were originally reserved for officials of high standing and royalty,
such as Tiananmen Square, into public places for the masses to collect and
spread ideas (Currier). Their motives were unlike that of cultural and
economic revitalization and the communists used these new places of
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gathering to control the population. The idea was that they could give the
people the illusion of free will and sharing of ideas while being able to control
social activist groups from gaining popularity and causing a revolt. Although
the 798 District does have to conform to some governmental regulations the
factory was developed without harsh regulations and as seen as an icon of
freedom and expression.
Today, the district is home to thousands of artists and over 400 cultural
organizations from around the world who own and contribute to the galleries,
studios, boutiques, and restaurants. What was once a place for rebel artists
to gather is now used by some of the worlds prolific and high-profile artists
and displays galleries managed by world renowned museums and has been
recognized and visited by celebrities and officials from around the world
(Roussel). The district has come along way since its humble beginning, now
about half of the factory is rented out and presents periodic festivals
throughout the year that attract people from all over to visit for three and
four weeks at a time (Yin). The district has been placed on virtually all travel
agencies sites as a top destination to visit while in Beijing and has been
described as being a city within the city preserving history and creating it.
The future of the 798 Art Zone no longer is in question as it is seen beneficial
politically, economically, and culturally however it has become some
people's concern that the district is becoming far too commercialized for new
artists to emerge.
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Much like the museums original home, the new building was designed
to be a museum all of its own, mirroring many aspects of traditional Chinese
architecture while harmoniously integrating modern elements. The exhibits,
which are display throughout the three separate exhibition halls, contain
over 5,500 pieces of historical art that depict Beijing's rich cultural history
and other regions of China (Capital Museum, China). The museum also
features many modern technological advances including multimedia
displays, energy efficient mechanics, a restoration department, and a full
research department. It also features a ritual hall that is used for many
modern rituals and holds some of the world's most prominent art
conventions. Overall the new home of the Capital Museum captures the
essence of past, present, and future Beijing and proves to be a place that
allows for the collection of people from all around the world.
Works Cited
Beijing This Month Publications. "Capital Museum Gets Modern Look."
Www.btmbeijing.com. N.p., 1 Jan. 2006. Web.
Capital Museum, China. "Introduction to Capital Museum."
Www.capitalmuseum.org. N.p., n.d. Web.
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