Beijing 798: Reflections on a “Factory” of Art

Edited by Huang Rui

Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House

300pp.   Paperback     350 color photographs

As a topic of urban space, no place offers a more dramatic creative experience than Beijing’s 798 Arts District.  In 2002, artists started to move into the what had been an electronics factory in previous times.  Beijing 798: Reflections on a “Factory” of Art captures the transformation and success which spawned China’s booming, contemporary art scene and ushered in era of government-inspired artists communities -- a new symbol of Beijing’s Olympic era.  Today, 798 is a beacon of “creativity,” a calling card not only for Beijing but also for China.

Divided in two parts, the first, full-color section, shows the 798 of today, a sprawling artist community of more than 300 galleries and showrooms.  But, as seen in the book’s black and white portions, just 50 years ago, it was the site of the 718 United Factory of Electronic Parts, a joint production facility between China and East Germany.  .

Today, 798 continues to create history.  The book follows the early days of the 798 as an art district.  In these days of China’s multi-million dollar art market, 798 offers an amazing showcase for contemporary Chinese artists, young and old. It enriches the city’s multi-polar colours and contributes to its cultural memories.  The 798 Arts District is unique in Beijing, a city where memory is often erased by power