Wednesday night, while reading blogs about Shanghai and wondering what to do with Jeanni, I came upon a Shanghaiist post about one of my favorite places in the city, 696 Weihai lu. The post gave some depressing news, 696 Weihai lu’s artists were once again under threat of eviction. As soon as I heard this, I told Jeanni we had to go there again, especially since I realized that I did not have enough pictures to do the place justice.
Jeanni did not feel too well that day (though still well enough to browse through vintage clothes for half an hour), so I did not get to spend as much time there as I wanted. However, I did engage with more people this time and that is when I learned that there might be a farewell exhibition of sorts in February before everybody is kicked out. The artists that I talked to all had a nonchalant and defeated attitude to being evicted. I wonder happened to the fighting spirit that I had read about? The spirit that I had read about, which that saved 696 Weihai time and time again.
I have taken a great many people to this place, even Shari from San Diego and everybody loved it. However, not all of you are able to make the long trip to Shanghai so I will 696 Weihai through this tour that I wrote up for one of my classes last semester.
-muffinman
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Statement of Purpose:
The purpose of this tour is to give the tour taker a taste of the Chinese art scene, specifically in Shanghai through maximizing their chance in meeting with artists.
Introduction:
If M50 is the place to see art in Shanghai, 696 Weihai is the place to see it created. Away from touristy galleries at Moganshan Lu, lies an old opium storage facility that is now home to over 30 artists and their studios. Recognized as an incubator of contemporary Chinese art, 696 Weihai Lu is just a block away from the Nanjing Shi Lu station, making this little known art Mecca very accessible. The studios, photography studios, and galleries are all housed in dark and crumbling British industrial architecture. Coming to 696 Weihai is just as much about the art as it is about experiencing a piece of old underground Shanghai and the bohemian life of an artist.
The complex
As of currently, the residents of 696 Weihai have been successful in defending their homes from the government, but interested individuals should make the trip to 696 Weihai sooner rather than later because the site is under constant threat of being torn and developed. In addition, as artists are not known for keeping regular hours, the chance that all the stops on this tour are open on the same day is extremely small, meaning multiple visits are required. The best time to go is during the weekday between five and seven, as the darkness will add an element of mysteriousness to the buildings and most of the studios and gallery will be open.
Stops:
Le Rexo Art and Deco: Building 1 #103
One of the few places at 696 Weihai that is purely commercial, Le Rexo: Art and Deco is a store that sells imported European furniture and art. It is an interesting place to start the tour as it gives the tour taker something to compare Shanghai art to. This place is boring, terrible and overly commercialized.
Dohjidai Gallery of Art: Building 11 #102
Dohjidai Gallery of Art is Japanese owned and features contemporary artists from Japan and China. The gallery space is small but the collection switches frequently and the artists on display are usually more famous than those in other galleries at 696 Weihai. This gallery switches its pieces extremely often and it is not always good.
Around Space: Building 9 #202 and Building 11 #108
Around Space has two galleries at 696 Weihai , making it the largest exhibition space at 696 Weihai. Their mission is to “re-invent traditional Chinese aesthetics; cultivate ‘art without borders,’ and [show] the interaction and co-existence of the two.” Around Space features
Artist studio #1: Building 11 #201
In room #201, there is an artist who paints self portraits of himself, with various objects growing out of his body, which critique Chinese society. All you have to do is ask nicely at the door and he will invite you into his studio. This artist is one of the more regular ones at 696 Weihai. He is my favorite artist and it kills me that I cannot talk to him. Jeanni finds his art too violent and actually could not stay in the studio for more than a few minutes
Artist studio #2: Building 11 #312
Room #312 is a massive studio that features an artist who has many of his works hanging off the walls, as well as a few sculptures. Despite being one of the larger spaces in building 11, this studio is rarely open. I have only been in this studio twice and both time there was an abundance of wine bottles. The first time I went there, the artist was dead asleep and the second time he was nowhere to be found.
Not sure what this is supposed to represent
Notice the bottles
The artist is sleeping soundly
Stage Back: Building 11 #310
Started in 2008 by German artist Susanne Junker, Stage Back features foreign artists’ perspective on Shanghai. Every two months or so, Stage Back hosts events where visitors can meet and talk to the artists. These people are really nice and always open, so I every time I visit I always drop by.
Tangshu Art: Building 11 #308
Tang Shu is a local Shanghai artist who teaches at the Shanghai Institute of Technology. He has been featured in many exhibitions and his current paintings comment heavily on Chinese society today. This stop on the tour is his studio, which also doubles as his gallery. I have never been in this artist’s studio though from his bio that I found online he has some interesting art.
Urbanity Project: Building 11 #303
The Urbanity Project was set up by a group called the Shanghai Arts Community, which sought to show the human component of cities. The gallery features works in all mediums and artists from all across the world, with a concentration on ones living in China. Various creators of the works on display drop by and linger in this gallery. The man who runs the gallery is from Virginia and the last time I went with Jeanni, I actually talked to him. He asked for my flickr account so hopefully he likes what he sees. Unfortunately, I do not like any of the pieces in this gallery.
Their logo
Christina Shmigel: Building 11 #409
An American artist who has been living in Shanghai since 2004, Christina Shmigel’s sculptures are often made out of everyday items. Her work has been featured in galleries across the world and since moving to Shanghai, her work has had a strong Chinese flavor. I talked to this artist when I took Shari here and Christina was extremely nice and welcoming. When I visited her, she had just shipped the majority of her pieces to St. Louis for an exhibition so I was not able to see much, however, what I did see was pretty interesting. I am looking forward to visiting her again.
