Grassroot Art in Shanghai

Art in Shanghai is also prosperous and is becoming better and better. Not many people noticed it. I have a private list of galleries that really attract me.

The Room with a View

The Room with a View gallery is a very famous one in Shanghai. It is on the 12nd floor of the Xianshi Building, No. 479 Nanjing East Road. It is very like the small gallery I saw in Seattle – a big empty room without any decoration in an old building. Although it is located in the Nanjing Road, there is only a misable elevator at the west side of the building to access it. Despite of the simply look, there are great exhibitions there. These days, there is an Lomo exhibition: Love . 37’2°C LOMO Show and Wedding Party. I heard of Lomo this time, remembered LOMO, feel the passion to try it, but later persuaded myself to get focused and don’t do too many things at the same time. :-) It was a perfect story that Zhang Qianli (the husband), and Tang Xiaomin (the wife) grew up together when they were very young in Shanghai and finally got married at their Lomo photography exhibition on the Valentine’s Day. Thanks for Holly to host me there and introduced Lomo to me. She thought all bloggers are wasting time and posting non-sense articles. :-)

Three on the Bund

There is a Shanghai Gallery of Art on the 3rd Floor of the Three on the Bund. That gallery is very fancy with nice decoration, nice equipment and located in the luxious building. It is what the traditional art gallery looks like.

Studio on Suzhou Creek

I heard of the art area along the Suzhou Creek. I didn’t visit it until recently. Many galleries and studios opened there. I guess there are more than 30. I have visited 798 Art District (mentioned) in Beijing and found those in Suzhou are very similiar. (BTW, Eric has a great video on 798 Art District). It was a old factory at 50 Moganshan Road, near the West Suzhou Creek Road. In the large factories, there are oil paintings (taller than a person) with strong and vivid colors, potery workshop (Mrs. Xie’s Studio there), and video/audio production studios.

The famous BizArt, Shanghart, ArtistLinks, eastlink are located in the same factory. I checked the rent price. A nice (in the eyes of artist) studio with 30 sq. meters only costed them about 1000 RMB per month, but allowing artists to work inside. The rent was 1 RMB per sq. meter per day, but now, it may doubled or even more expensive.

18 thoughts on “Grassroot Art in Shanghai”

I love to go to 798 in BJ, but was unaware that Shanghai had something similar. I had seen a number of addresses for “galleries” around Moganshan and I think Taikang roads…Next time in Shanghai I will have to check it out. The whole 3 on the Bund experience sort of disappointed me, then again, when compared to Lee’s Courtyard in BJ, you can’t get any better…

Actually, all the galleries resides ini a factory at #50, Moganshan Road. It is exactly the same model as 798 – the factory is still manufacting textile and printing materials, but artist are eating up the spare spaces.

I know the gallery. Funny to read somthing about it in the www.

Hi, u think there will be space available in your local galleries for a young up coming artist from The Netherlands? I wish I could display some of my works in Shanghai.

I am a french photographer and i am looking for an art studio for rent in some bulding or house in shanghai. If you have any idea about the places i can found, i am looking for two or 3 years renting place. Thanks . Patrick.

Hi,

I was wondering if you can help me. I am an explat living in Shanghai and I am a bit of an art collector. Is there any areas where artists sell thier paintings on the street? I have tried all the galleries around Yu Yuan, bund etc but they are very pricey. My friend buy’s a lot from Guangzhou for around 200 Yuan for a large oil painting. The same thing here is around 500 RMB.

What’s the Mogshan factory like resonable?

I appreciate the advice.

Thanks

Adam

Who owns the empty field opposite the artists studiois in Moganshan Road and just south of Suzhou Creek. It’s a Hong Kong developer I’ve heard. Is thir name Xiande? How can one get in touch with them?

Biche de Bere features for the first time in its Shanghai Loft creations of three freelance photographers, Thomas Fuesser, Shen Jian Hua, Geraldine Mangenot. Sticking to its novative concept meant through the association of Fashion and Art, Biche de Bere and artists have worked on a Colour Play Exhibition to enhance the pictures in the trendy made over old brewery.

Biche de Bere Art Gallery is due to become an outstanding Art center for local artists and works, whilst acting for their artistic development and communication in an exceptional space.

Hello,

I am Shivshankari, practicing Art conservator in India. I will be staying in Shanghai, China for a period of 1 year, positively within one month’s time I want to utilize this time by getting involved with some Museum or Art gallery in Shanghai.

can you suggest me any gallery/museum/laboratory/institute/library in the city of shanghai where i can gain some experience.

Avant de chercher un local a shanghai, trouve de savoir comment tu vas payer ta quittance EDF avant !

Cherche local artistique a Shanghai ! Paye dÃ©ja ton loyer du local a ST Ouen !

I went to that area on Suzhou Creek. It is Moganshan Road. The rental is about 2yuan per square meter per day.

I saw BizArt and Shangart that you mentioned. I think Art Scene China (http://www.artscenechina.com) and Art Scene Warehouse (http://www.artscenewarehouse.com) are better. They have a wide selection. And I could imagine a lot of the artwork there in my home :-) if I could afford it. Chinese contemporary art has become quite expensive lately.