If you’re tired of Beijing’s popular and tourist-driven 798 art district, there is always Chaocangdi. But if you want to go beyond that, Beijing has much more to offer in terms of art. Here is a round-up of some of Beijing’s off the beaten track art: from museums, to art zones, to artists’ villages where Beijing’s art scene is, as of yet, quite unexplored.
Red Brick Contemporary Art Museum 红砖美术馆
The Red Brick Museum of Contemporary Art was designed by famous architect Dong Yugan, and is a folk-based, non-profit art museum focused on the collection, research and exhibition of contemporary world and Chinese art. With two exhibition halls, and plenty of other space for film and performing arts events, the entirety of this art museum is surrounded by a peaceful and beautiful Chinese garden.
Add: Hegezhuang Village, Cuigezhuang Township, Chaoyang district, Beijing
Opening Hours: Tue – Sun 10:00 – 17:30
Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum 中央美术学院美术馆
This museum is one of the leading Fine Arts museums in China, and has numerous current and upcoming art exhibitions. The museum houses a range of experimental and modern art, of international origins as well as some gems from local Chinese artists. For more information and a line-up of the current exhibitions, check the museum’s website.
Add: 8 Huajiadi Nanjie, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Opening Hours: Tue – Sun 9:00 – 17:30
National Defence Art Zone 宋庄小堡画家村
Located in the eastern suburbs of Tongzhou in Beijing, the National Defence Art Zone is in the heart of Songzhuang’s thriving art community, which currently houses 2,000 artists. The area is surrounded by park, and displays different art exhibitions, galleries, and local artists’ workshops.
Add: National Defence Art Zone, Songzhuang Town, Tongzhou District, Beijing
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 – 18:00
Feijiacun Artist Village 费家村
Feijiacun is an arts village north of Beijing that became more and more popular as rents rose in the original 798 Art district, and even Caochangdi. However, Feijiacun is much less commercial than the above-mentioned areas and has no cafes or restaurants around. Other than that, the building is occupied by independent artists attracted by cheap prices and the abundance of materials and resources from surrounding scrap metals.
Add: Feijiacun, Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 – 16:00
Yan-Huang Art Museum 炎黄艺术馆
While the collections of the Yan-Huang Art Museum in Beijing’s Asian Games Village span several centuries and a number of China’s historic dynasties, the overarching focus of the exhibitions remains contemporary national art from the last 100 years, and the experimental work of avant-garde artists working in the People’s Republic today.
Expect plenty in the way of gallery sponsor, Huang Zhou, regular showcases of 20th century painters like Fu Baoshi and Xu Beihong, along with the occasional international art show from countries right across the globe.
Add: 9 Huizhong Road, Chaoyang, Beijing
Phone: 010 6492 7374