Liquor Factory quenches thirst for art

Beijing's arts scene is flourishing, and the city's locals and expats are getting right behind it. But Zhu Chaoying, the developer of Beijing's newest arts venue, the Brewery Factory International Art Garden, also known as the Liquor Factory or Jiuchang, seems to care little about what the public wants.

Her Jiuchang is not designed to appeal to the masses. "By its very nature," she said, "the Liquor Factory is for the artists."

The Liquor Factory takes a different approach from that taken by Beijing's popular 798 Art District, which Zhu said "is compromising to commercialism" to some extent. Zhu said 798 rents out its exhibition spaces for commercial events more frequently than it shows art.

"That won't happen in Jiuchang I made that promise the day I started setting up the art garden," said Zhu.

Zhu set up Jiuchang as an artists' colony, carefully choosing the location and vowing to "protect artists".

The factory is located just off the Wangjing expressway, close to the Central Academy of Fine Arts, near an exit flanked by car wash joints. Inside, a dusty thoroughfare bisects the compound. Within the complex there are several local and international galleries together with almost 100 studios.

Though it's all one factory, Jiuchang comprises a number of small brick buildings. On the inside, it's pipe-free and freshly painted. Large outdoor sculptures line the main road, alongside an artificial lake. The lake features glass exhibition spaces that are reached via a stone path.

"The geography is fantastic," said Zhu. She said Jiuchang's environment is a major drawcard. "People like it and so they move in. It has really strong creative energy."

Beijing has stretched its borders over the past dozen years. What used to be the periphery is now prime real estate, and some of the city's most interesting galleries and studios have had to migrate to the outskirts of the city.

Jiuchang has become a well-known landmark in Chaoyang District since it was developed in 2005 from the Chaoyang Brewery Factory, built in 1975. Zhu's Ying Cheng Technology & Trade Development Limited developed the factory as a complex dedicated to art.

Zhu said Jiuchang offers a "quiet and peaceful" oasis for serious artists due to its isolated location. "You won't find bars or restaurants here designed for the tourists. Everything here is for the artists."

Jiuchang's galleries have held several shows since the complex officially opened in September. Arario Beijing, the biggest gallery in Jiuchang, exhibited dozens of works by international stars like Cindy Sherman and Yue Minjun in its debut exhibition, "Beautiful Cynicism".

Arario followed this up with "Hungry God: Indian Contemporary Art", which offered a refreshing array of sculpture, video, performance and paintings from India.

Arario Beijing, a branch of Arario in Korea, comprises five buildings with a total floor space of 3,000 square meters. Three of Arario's gallery spaces are dedicated solely to contemporary art exhibitions.

Yun Chea Gab, the gallery director, predicts that the area will be "redeveloped as a huge art district, in accordance with the cultural boom in this area".

As well as Arario Beijing, the complex houses other international gallery branches such as Pyo Beijing from Korea and Osage Gallery from Hong Kong.

Zhu said the international gallery branches bring world-renowned artists and critics to Jiuchang.

"To some extent, they guarantee the quality of the art here," said Zhu. "I think this place will grow a lot."

(China Daily 01/04/2007 page18)