Art Scene in Beijing

These days we're all familiar with Yue Minjun's grinning men. The impressive group of giants, convulsed in laughter outside the Today Art Museum in central Beijing, seems to symbolise the triumph of the Chinese artistic movement. It first emerged in the world's sale rooms and today fetches breathtaking sums, often more than the star artists of New York and Paris. Artists, collectors and gallery owners have made Beijing one of the world's top art markets, just behind New York and London. According to Art Collector Report, 41% of Chinese collectors operate in Beijing. China's contemporary art movements began in the 1990s. Since then they have powered their way to world prominence with a variety of styles rooted in thousands of years of Chinese culture while casting a disillusioned eye on a changing world. Some of them have established a dialogue between Western art and the vast and almost intact reservoir of Chinese culture and aesthetics. Another, more spectacular movement, gently ironic and insightful,

soon invaded the fashionable galleries of Shanghai and Beijing. This art delights the new collectors, who are drawn to such symbols of modernity and success. This is why many visitors setting out to explore Beijing now head for its art districts. These newly fashionable areas have attracted design studios, fashion designers, hip cafés and restaurants. Take Pingguo Shequ, for example, a small area where it's pleasant to amble among the art galleries and fashion boutiques clustered around the Today Art Museum. This private art foundation, housed in a fine red brick building, opened in 2002 and has done remarkable work as a new artistic platform presenting a broad view of contemporary Chinese and international art. The big attraction is Yue Minjun's group of figures addressing their ironic laughter to the crowd. Yue Minjun is a figurehead of what has been called 'cynical realism', an art movement that seeks to grasp social reality through derisive, satirical figurative works.

798 Art District: a world apart The absolute must for art lovers visiting Beijing is a stroll around 798 Art District. Artists and galleries started moving into this former factory zone in northeast Beijing, beyond the 4th ring road, in the 1990s. What was to become the 798 Art District was then a vast urban wasteland with an abundance of large, empty buildings. Then in November 2007, trail-blazing Belgian collector Guy Ullens set up a private art centre there: the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. In the last decade UCCA has become one of the top places for Chinese contemporary art, helping to make 798 Art District a go-to place for art lovers, collectors and artists. Galleries, studios, shops and restaurants sprang up all around UCCA, under the broad shady pedestrian walkways. The high-vaulted 1950s factories were restored one by one to make magnificent exhibition spaces. Young, private Chinese foundations brought an exceptional artistic scene to public notice, while leading international galleries set up a fruitful dialogue between world cultures. A stroll around 798 takes you out of time, each walkway offering its share of small shops and large galleries such as the Italian Galleria Continua and the Danish Faurschou Foundation. Here, far from the bustle of the city, the mood is at once studious and light-hearted. The many Chinese contemporary art dealers offer a wide range of styles and artistic tastes. The Yang gallery goes for the kitsch and garish; the Long March Space for Liu Wei's enigmatic structures. The Tang gallery boasts some spectacular works and the Minsheng Art Museum, in a sumptuous space set somewhat apart, runs an ambitious programme of Chinese artists' works. 798 Art District, on the way between the city centre and the airport, has become a must-go destination for art lovers and for tourists from all over the world on a visit to Beijing.

Caochangdi: undercover avant-garde Not far away but further out, beyond the 5th ring road, is the discreet Caochangdi art village, which developed through artists fleeing the success of 798 and its resulting shops, restaurants and curious visitors. This is where you'll find a particularly interesting community of Chinese galleries and artists. The district's figurehead is artist and architect Ai Wei Wei, who set up his studio here and has designed several buildings housing galleries, such as ShanghART, Urs Meil, Pekin Fine Art and Amy Li. This sober, even austere, brick architecture fits well with its surroundings. The buildings' apparently rudimentary style masks great formal subtlety. Caochangdi is home to avantgarde galleries such as the De Sarthe Gallery (which has branches in Paris and Hong Kong) and the Egg Gallery, which exhibits design as well as contemporary art. Not far off is the Three Shadows Art Foundation, which focuses on young Chinese photographers. Going from district to district, studio to gallery, and museum to foundation to explore the Chinese art scene in Beijing, one feels the energy and creativity of the whole country concentrated in its ancient capital – more so even than in Shanghai, which is renowned for its art scene.

Since its founding in 2007 by photographers RongRong (China) and inri (Japan), Three Shadows Photography Art Centre has devoted itself to identifying new trends in Chinese photography, placing a special focus on artists and artworks of independent spirit and potential. The Three Shadows Photography Award (TSPA) has been central to this effort for a decade now, helping introduce new works to the public and offering a window into the power and diversity of contemporary photography in China. To commemorate the significance of this annual tradition, from June 9 to August 5, 2018, Three Shadows Photography Art Centre will host “Ten Directions: The 10th Anniversary Exhibition of Three Shadows Photography Award”. Organized by Three Shadows curator Chen Shen, the exhibition will showcase representative recent works by 38 selected young artists – all participants in past editions of the award – who embody the forward-thinking essence that the prize has always been meant to encourage. The exhibition lays out the multifaceted world young Chinese photographers have built in the last decade. It is also a review and summary of the achievements of the TSPA.

With the support of Shiseido, the TSPA has grown alongside its artists, attracting submissions from over 5,000 artists globally and helping introduce the work of over 200 finalists. In order to ensure impartial and high academic standards, the TSPA has always relied upon a rotating international jury system. Except for a single vote right reserved for Three Shadows, the Centre invites top museum curators from leading international institutions like MoMA, Tate Modern, J. Paul Getty Museum, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, and the International Center of Photography (ICP). On March 24, 2018, this year’s TSPA was awarded to Wang Tuo by a jury including Clément Chéroux, Senior Curator of Photography, SF MoMA; Fumio Nanjo, Director, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo; Pi Li, Senior Curator, M+ Museum, Hong Kong; Sam Stourdzé, President, Arles International Photo Festival, and Co-founder, Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival; and RongRong of Three Shadows. The recipient of the 2018 Shiseido Photographer Prize is Fan Ranran. Chen Ronghui received the Alpa Award.

NUO, China’s newest luxury hotel brand has two luxurious choices for visitors to Beijing. For art lovers who want to experience Beijing’s art scene from a chic, contemporary location, NUO Hotel Beijing is the perfect choice. And for those who long for the elegant magic of the past, Beijing Hotel NUO has revived a much-loved property. Although different in décor and style, both NUO hotels in Beijing share a passion for sourcing the finest local ingredients for their kitchens. There, ingredients from local partner green farms, are creatively prepared by a team of international culinary experts. And the YUAN Tea House at NUO, serves China’s finest teas, sourced direct from the NUO plantations.

NUO Hotel Beijing Located near Beijing’s 798 Art District, NUO Hotel Beijing is a showcase of unique design inspired by the Ming Dynasty. The arts are at the centre of the NUO guest experience, and events include an exhibition of work created exclusively for the hotel by contemporary Chinese artist, Zeng Fanzhi. The hotel comprises 438 spacious rooms and suites, an executive club lounge, six restaurants and bars,

NUO Spa, and a large ballroom. NUO is committed to the environment and the hotel has achieved LEED’s gold-level certification for green building standards. Guest comfort and wellbeing is a priority, so this contemporary sanctuary of creativity and style is equipped with a high-performance air purification system.

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Beijing Hotel NUO NUO is proud to revive the majesty of the Beijing Hotel, combining the essence of its past with contemporary luxury. From the grand French façade to the broad marble staircase, the hotel captivates all who love old world elegance. Located on Chang’an Avenue, close to the Forbidden City, Beijing Hotel NUO is one of the capital’s most historic luxury hotels. Its 171 period-styled rooms and suites include nine Heritage Studios, each named after historical figures who stayed there. Sophisticated dining is the NUO brand’s hallmark, and the hotel’s culinary team brings years of experience and inspiration to East 33, Jaan, and the Writer’s Bar. Beijing Hotel NUO also provides a historic setting for business meetings, conferences, product launches, gala dinners, and weddings.

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Redefining European luxury in Beijing The first Kempinski hotel in China, Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center blends timeless European style with rich Chinese cultural history. It was the city’s first luxury hotel and symbolised China’s rising economy. Located in Beijing’s central diplomatic and business district, the hotel has 480 beautifully appointed guestrooms and suites. And with over seven restaurants, bars and cafes, the award-winning venue has become a social hub to some of Beijing's biggest conferences and events. The recent renovation adds new executive rooms with their own exclusive lounge. With its dedicated service, and international gastronomic experiences, the Executive Lounge is an elite retreat for business travellers. Today, Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center stands out as the preferred luxury hotel in the Chinese capital.

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