shu and joe

On the northern edge of Beijing, between the 4th and 5th ring roads, a cluster of art galleries has sprung up on the grounds of a former liquor factory. It took our cabbie about 10 minutes on the phone with a gallery owner to figure out where the site actually is, but once that was settled, we arrived without incident.

Outdoor sculptures dot the grounds of the barracks-turned-studios within the complex.

The Liquor Factory still has a long way to go before realizing the notoriety of Beijing’s 798 art district, but with the arrival of galleries like Italian-based Arario, the area is definitely a contender. Arario was in the process of installing a new show during out visit, but Shu and I slipped in for a preview.

Several other spaces in the area are putting together exhibits worth checking out. Xindong Cheng Gallery is running a retrospective of the work of Cang Xin, one of the most well-known performance artists in China.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to ge the names of the artists or galleries showing the next two pieces.

As usual, China is a study in contrasts. Immediately upon exiting the gallery district, we were left facing a suburban village, which consisted of a few auto repair shops, restaurants and about 5 golf shops, catering to the country club that has emerged a few kilometers down the street.

The Chaoyang Liquor Factory (Jiuchang) is located on Beihuqu Lu, a short distance from the Jing Cheng Expressway between the North 4th and 5th Ring Roads. When you see the sign that says “MADE IN CHINA” you’re there.