With Asia continuing to build on the momentum of its rapidly expanding art scene, Beijing, China’s capital and second-largest city, delivers a slew of exciting exhibitions heading into April. With hundreds of museums and galleries within the city limits, the task of narrowing down your art itinerary can seem a little daunting. Not to worry, we’ve got all the essentials right here.
Opened in 2007, the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art boasts 86,000 square feet of exhibition space, including an auditorium and library. Until April 17, socio-political artist and China’s resident “trickster mixer-upper” Liu Wei will have works on display at the center in his largest institutional show to date, focusing on his latest videos, paintings, and architectural cityscapes. For smaller sculptural works, don’t miss Hu Qingyan at Galerie Urs Meile, who has on display, among other things, a series of marble “portraits,” created from plastic bags containing a single breath from the subject depicted.
There are also a number of places to see works on paper, including Pékin Fine Arts, which has on view a series of oil-on-canvas and mixed-media paintings, as well as wool felt tapestries, by Beijing-based abstractionist Aniwar Mamet. At Ink Studio, works by a completely different painter are on display. Bingyi is best known for her large-scale paintings, created over a period of months or years, which take into account the environmental conditions of a specific place. Artist Gama, whose work has roots in shamanism, folklore, and European tradition, is also spotlighted this month in an exhibition at Chambers Fine Art.
Whatever your reason for visiting Beijing, make art part of your travel plans. You won’t be disappointed.
Exhibition: “Spring”
When: March 9–March 31, 2015
Where: Red Gate Gallery, 9 Chongwenmen E Street, Dongcheng, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “The Sublime Object”
When: March 7–April 4, 2015
Where: Star Gallery, C5 Qikeshu Creative Park, No.55 Banjieta Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Guo Haiqiang Solo Exhibition: Tempo, Space & Gravity”
When: March 7–April 11, 2015
Where: Boers-Li Gallery, 1-706 Hou Jie, 798 Art District, No.2 Yuan, Jiuxianqiao Lu, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Hu Qingyan: Eternal Glory”
When: February 7–April 12, 2015
Where: Galerie Urs Meile, Beijing-Lucerne, 104, Caochangdi Cun, Cui Gezhuang Xiang, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Liu Wei: Colors”
When: February 7–April 17, 2015
Where: Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Jump to Second Solo Show”
When: March 7–April 17, 2015
Where: White Space Beijing, No. 255 Caochangdi, Airport Service Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Auspicious Year of Goat – Chinese Contemporary Group Exhibition”
When: March 22–April 22, 2015
Where: Yang Gallery, 3rd Taoci Street, 798 Art District, No. 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Bingyi: Intensive/Extensive”
When: March 21–April 30, 2015
Where: Ink Studio, Red No. 1-B1, Caochangdi, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Gama: Idylls of Kings”
When: March 7–May 3, 2015
Where: Chambers Fine Art, Red No.1-D, Caochangdi, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Aniwar Mamet: Sun, Water, and Wind”
When: March 7–May 9, 2015
Where: Pékin Fine Arts, No. 241, Cao Chang Di Village, Cui Ge Zhuang, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China
Exhibition: “Zhu Yu: Separation”
When: March 7–May 24, 2015
Where: Long March Space, Jiuxianqiao Rd #4 (Factory 798), Beijing, China