The now still smokestacks reach skyward among rows of now quiet assembly bays, crossed and connected by a network of interlacing above-ground pipelines. On the walls are painted slogans of another age, some still fresh in color and some stained with age. Those former workshops and factory floors now house nearly-noiseless art galleries, and while wandering the complex one may catch the aroma of fine coffee roasting and international cuisine simmering, the scents wafting from the many trendy cafés and restaurants. This is the 798 Art Zone, an expansive and vibrant facility combining the traditional with the modern, and business with art.
A Former Factory
Before the 798 Art Zone came to be, this place was the Beijing North China Radio Equipment Joint Factory, in those days popularly known as Joint Factory 718. In the 1950s the factory was established with the support of the former East Germany, later to split into six sub-factories in the 1960s, including 798. The factory was designed in a Bauhaus architectural style, the influence of which dictated that structure should meet the needs of modern industrial production and lifestyles.
In the 1980s the factory began to decline, and about half of the sub-factories ceased production. The number of workers on site decreased from 20,000 to less than 4,000.
In December 2000, the six remaining sub-factories were reconstituted as the Beijing Seven-Star Huadian Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd. Later, the group relocated some of its production units out of the area, and the vacated workshops were leased. The area's well-designed layout, convenient transportation and unique Bauhaus-inspired buildings attracted a growing number of artists and art agencies. The factory evolved into a gathering place for art galleries, studios, cultural institutions and fashion shops, and the area was named the Beijing 798 Art Zone.
A Resource Renewed
Few or none now recall who was the first artist to settle in the 798 Art Zone, but all recognize Xu Yong as being a pioneer in making the scene. Xu won fame for his photographs of Beijing hutongs, as well as his Shichahai Hutong Travel Program. Today his studio, Time Space, 798's largest and tallest gallery to combine modern culture, art and business, further firms up the position of Xu Yong as something of a household name.
Xu relocated to the zone in 2002. “At that time the factory was set to be transformed into a shopping mall for electronic products,” he recalled. “Vacated for five years, the workshop I planned to rent was dusty and smeared, with all the windows broken. But I liked the size, so I eventually made up my mind to rent the place.”
A thorough cleanup was the first item on the agenda. Xu put a pressure washer to work, the dust-covered bright-red slogans painted on the walls were again exposed, and sunlight again flowed through the overhead windows. The No.1 Workshop of the Joint Factory 718 once produced ceramic instruments, and it still contained many heavy machines, such as copy millers, drillers, grinders and Type-110 vertical lathes. Today, in the spacious otherwise quiet open workshop, voices echo with a sort of majestic ambience. Xu named the gallery “Time Space” because he believes the charm of 798 Art Zone lies in its bringing together of different eras and spaces. “The factory witnessed many ups and downs over the past five decades. No matter where one comes from, one may be hit by a sense of soul-stirring excitement when stepping into the antiquated factory. Here, one can not only experience modern art, but also get a sense of the history of China.”
Potential opportunities typically present risks, and Xu took a big gamble in leasing the workshop for three years. According to the original plan, the workshop was set to be demolished in 2005. If that occurred, Xu's hard work and investment would have been for naught.
Fortunately, the gathering of artists and the flourishing contemporary art events they staged changed those renovation plans.
"In the very beginning when they rented the unused workshops to us, the Seven-Star Group had not thought the place would become an art zone," Xu said. "In 2003, the artists in the zone jointly launched a campaign titled 'Reconstructing 798,' in which all the studios and galleries were open to the public on the same day. The one-day event attracted some 1,000 visitors, a number more than any other contemporary art event held in Beijing."
"A creative idea may give new life to unused things. Cheap materials, with avant-garde art value, can be transformed into luxury artworks. This is the process of creation," Xu commented.
An Iconic Inspiration
In 2003, US-based Time magazine ranked 798 as being among the 22 municipal art centers with the highest sense of culture in the world. That same year, Beijing was listed among the Top 12 International Metropolises of the Year by Newsweek magazine, largely due to the tremendous contribution of the 798 Art Zone. In 2004, Fortune magazine listed Beijing as being one of the world's 20 cities with the greatest potential for development. This designation, too, was largely credited to the influence of 798 Art Zone.
The 798 Art Zone is today a must-see destination for international visitors in Beijing. Many international art exhibitions and fashion shows held there have drawn countless politicians, film stars and other global celebrities. Since 2004, the many celebrated personages visiting included former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, former French President Jacques Chirac, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and IOC President Jacques Rogge.
During the Beijing Olympics, waves of tourists from around the world visited the 798 Art Zone, and several countries and regions took space in the zone to display their national arts. For instance, the Switzerland Cabin 2008·China operated for the duration of the Games, demonstrating Swiss art and customs.
The 798 Art Zone also serves as a showcase for young artists. “798 is a good platform, and a rare platform as well,”said Li Ning, a student in his fourth year at the Beijing Film Academy. At the time of this writing, he was busy preparing his personal photographic exhibition, planning to display his work on the exterior wall of a gallery in the art zone. “Perhaps some still think us a little childish, but at 798 we realize our dreams with our own hands,” Li said, referring to artists like him. “Even a wall could be an art gallery to display my work.”
A Creative Collection
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An artist and his tin toys.
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An individual art exhibition at 798. |
In modern society, self-admiration does not distinguish an artist, but public recognition can. The formation and development of the 798 Art Zone is attributed to its concentration of many artists. Those artists gathering together also bolster the exchange of artistic thought.
In 2006, the municipal government of Beijing designated the 798 Art Zone as one of the first 10 places concentrating the cultural and creative industry. Later, to boost the development of contemporary art and cultural and creative industry in the art zone, the government of Chaoyang District and the Seven-Star Group co-established the Beijing 798 Art Zone Construction and Administration Office, following the principle of “coordination, service, instruction and management.” In 2007, the art zone was included on the List of First Group of Protected Contemporary Excellent Architectures, jointly released by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning and the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage. According to relevant regulations, no structures on the list may be demolished, and renovations must be examined and implemented without changing their original layout.
An increasing number of artists have settled here, bringing with them their diverse ways of thought and creativity, and 798 is now a place where different thoughts coexist and integrate.
Art shows take place almost every day in the art zone. Thanks to the creativity and hard work of the artists, the art zone developed into an influential gathering place of cultural and creative industry while maintaining the diversity of artistic genres. Starting in 2006, the annual 798 Art Festival has become a much-anticipated carnival of art in Beijing.
As increasing numbers of artists and art institutions settled in the art zone, 798 has become a brand holding great business potential. Many multinational companies choose the place to present their sales promotions. The art zone gradually became a community combining culture and commerce. A number of furniture, fashion and catering establishments have set up shop here, bringing more customers and enriching the cultural and business activities.
“I consider 798 to be a hard-won art community,” said Wang Lin, chief mastermind of 798 Art Festival 2008. “Many avant-garde artists gather here. A pure land of art in the bustling metropolis, well preserved historic Bauhaus buildings present a unique cultural cityscape. Its success is attributed to the hard work of many artists.” He concludes, “798 is a vigorous, prosperous platform for artists, as well as a valuable showcase for contemporary art.”
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