Beijng Report - May 2007 Paula Payne


Remarkable Australians Witness and Shape History


During my most recent stay in Beijing May/June 2007, I was once again hosted by

two remarkable Australians I know from Red Gate Galleries.

Brian Wallace, the Director of Red Gate, who arrived in Beijing two decades ago

to study Chinese Language, and later art history has now been living and working

in Beijing for 22years and was a pioneer in the development of Chinese

contemporary arts both in Beijing and internationally. And Tony Scott, Special

Projects Manager and artist who has collaborated with Brian Wallace

for 14 years instigating and developing projects for the galleries and beyond. Tony

also now resides and works full time in Beijing.


Brian Wallace is the Director of, Red Gate at the watchtower, which in 2006

celebrated its 15th anniversary and Red Gate/ 798 gallery at Dashanzi art district.

In 2001 Red Gate introduced a visiting artists program for international artists and

currently manages up to ten residencies at any one time. The Dongbianmen

Watchtower, a 500 year old Ming Dynasty building is the only remaining

watchtower from the original inner city wall of Peking, whilst the Red Gate/ 798

gallery that opened in December 2005 in the Dashanzi art precinct has become an

integral part of the largest International Arts Centre in Beijing.


The de-commissioned military electronics factory at Dashanzi, was discovered by

artists looking for spaces in 2001 and the galleries, shops and cafes followed. Many

the factory spaces at Dashanzi were built by East German architects in the Bauhaus

style in the early 50s as a gift to the Chinese Government and are stunning as

contemporary art venues. Situated on the outskirts of Beijing, Dashanzi is on the way

to the airport and hosts a huge International arts festival each year in May. As of

September 2008 a second festival will be held throughout the many new and existing

arts venues across Beijing.


Dashanzi, has been heralded as the new New York of contemporary arts and

now hosts over two hundred contemporary art galleries in a variety of sizes and

locations that display everything from painting, photography, video art, large

installations, performance and new works ranging from cutting edge to commercial.

Leading galleries including, Chinese Contemporary Arts Centre, The Longmarch

Project, White space, Galleria Continua, Beijing 798, Tang Contemporary Art,

Pickled Arts Centre, Red Gate / 798 to name but a few, all operate in an International

context procuring a steady flow of dealers and buyers who invest and trade in Chinese

contemporary art which sells at high prices on a variety of national and international

markets.


On May 26th Red Gate / 798 hosted an exhibition called Lhasa New Art From Tibet,

which showcased contemporary Tibetan art. I not only had the good fortune to be

present at this time, but also, to be involved with

the Tibetan artists and the curators of the exhibition. Tony Scott, and

Leigh Sangster, a Fulbright scholar from USA. Leigh was completing her Doctorate

at the Emery University Atlanta, with a focus on cultural memory and anthropology.

Tony and Leigh had both been working on curating and travelling the exhibition to

Beijing from Lhasa for over a year. Leigh and her husband Jason had been living in

Lhasa for one year and collaborated with both the artists and Tony toward the goals

and success of the project.


This was the first time that Contemporary art from Lhasa has ever been exhibited in Beijing, a

historical moment.


Six of the Tibetan artists from the Gedun Choephel Guild Lhasa stayed in a studio

supplied by Red Gate at the Beigao art district. A number of well reputed Tibetan

art historians, including Claire Harris from Oxford University, art dealer, Fabio Rossi

from London, buyers and consultants gathered in Beijing for the opening of the

exhibition which was a huge success and received critical acclaim through the press in

China and Australia, (re- Sydney Morning Herald article June 2nd ) and record sales

for all of the artists involved.


For many years Lhasa was closed to foreigners but in the last decade has become more

accessible and on July 1st 2006 the Qinghai- Tibet railway was opened and many people

have been flocking to experience the mythical/ mystical Shangri la ever since.

On the 1st of June following the opening of Lhasa New Art From Tibet six of the

Tibetan artists from the Gedun Choephel Guild Lhasa, Tibetan art historian, Claire

Harris, Fabio Rossi and his vast entourage,Pat Hoffie from Griffith University

Brisbane and myself gathered in Beijing to catch the T27 to Lhasa.



Without two remarkable Australians none of this would have been possible- thank you


Paula Payne June 2007