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Caochangdi

{{Short description|Urban village and arts district in Beijing, China}}

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Caochangdi ({{zh|s=草场地|t=草場地|p=Cǎochǎngdì}}) was an urban village and renowned arts district located in the Chaoyang District of northeast Beijing at the intersection of the 5th Ring Road and Airport Expressway. Translated as "grasslands" in Mandarin, Caochangdi was home to a diverse group of residents, including migrant workers, farmers, students and artists, most notably, Ai Weiwei. Caochangdi developed into a thriving arts and cultural hub when artists began to move into the area around 2000, attracting international attention similar to the nearby 798 Art Zone.Chen, Aric. [http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/travel/01surfacing.html "A New Frontier for Chinese Art"], The New York Times, April 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2009.[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/05/arts/05iht-CHINART.1376385.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all "An artists' community takes shape on Beijing's edge - Arts & Leisure - International Herald Tribune"] Demolition of the village began in July 2018.

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History

Caochangdi has changed dramatically over its history. Once unoccupied grazing land used as hunting grounds by the Imperial Court, it later became an imperial grave and garden site. During the Cultural Revolution, the region became an Agricultural People's Commune and transitioned into a farming village. When the Chinese economy opened up to the global market under Deng Xiaoping, farmers became landlords and began leasing the land to private companies, artists and galleries.{{cite web|url=http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/33465/the-village-that-art-built/|title= The Village that Art Built|date= February 11, 2010|publisher=ArtInfo}}

In 2009, the architects Mary-Ann Ray and Robert Mangurian published a book on the village, titled Caochangdi, Beijing Inside Out: Farmers, Floaters, Taxi Drivers, Artists, and the International Art Mob Challenge and Remake the City.[http://timezone8.com/osc/product_info.php?products_id=124 Caochangdi, Beijing Inside Out: Farmers, Floaters, Taxi Drivers, Artists, and the International Art Mob Challenge and Remake the City] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813171449/http://timezone8.com/osc/product_info.php?products_id=124 |date=August 13, 2013 }} It is a study of the village's history and architecture, and includes interviews with Caochangdi residents.

For many years Caochangdi was under threat of demolition. In May 2011, after petitions by its residents and businesses,[http://www.threeshadows.cn/qianming/index.htm "Protect Caochangdi Art District Petition to Collect 10,000 Signatures from Art Supporters"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220041335/http://www.threeshadows.cn/qianming/index.htm |date=December 20, 2011 }} Chinese authorities officially announced the village would be spared.[https://archive.today/20130122114745/http://places.designobserver.com/feature/caochangdi-and-the-demolition-of-beijing-art-villages/33678/ "Art Village: A Year in Caochangdi"] However, in July 2018 evictions were announced in preparation for demolition[https://news.artnet.com/art-world/galleries-china-caochangdi-evicted-1322069 "China Abruptly Evicts Galleries in a Beijing Arts District to Make Way for ‘Immediate Demolition’"] And Ai Weiwei's studio was demolished shortly thereafter.[https://www.npr.org/2018/08/04/635654200/ai-wei-weis-beijing-studio-destroyed-by-chinese-authorities/ "Ai Weiwei Responds To Chinese Authorities Destroying His Beijing Studio"]

As of February 2019, many of the buildings originally slated for demolition are still standing. [https://map.baidu.com/@12970201.66,4838642.67,21z,87t,-73.09h#panoid=09002200121902221714590702G&panotype=street&heading=73.08&pitch=0&l=21&tn=B_NORMAL_MAP&sc=0&newmap=1&shareurl=1&pid=09002200121902221714590702G "Baidu Street View from February 2019"]

Events

"Caochangdi (CCD) – The Community" was launched on September 28, 2012, as a research-driven program that hosts a series of art, design and technology events throughout Caochangdi. Consisting of gallery exhibitions, public art installations, live events, educational programs, workshops and seminars, CCD – The Community seeks to cultivate the diversity of Caochangdi through long-term curatorial projects.{{cite web|title=CCD - THE COMMUNITY @ BJDW 2012|url=http://www.design-china.org/post/31265972437/ccd-the-community-bjdw-2012|publisher=Design China|access-date=11 September 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://caochangdi.org/about%20CCD|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816232745/http://caochangdi.org/about|title=About CCD, The Community|url-status=dead|access-date=2020-12-22|archive-date=2012-08-16|work=caochangdi.org}}

Spaces in Caochangdi

  • Ai Weiwei 258 Fake Studio
  • [http://www.studioo.cn/ studio O] 323 studio O
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20130307113120/http://www.artmia.net/ artMIA]
  • [http://www.basebeijing.cn/ Beijing Architecture Studio Enterprise (B.A.S.E.)]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20110130065324/http://c-spacebeijing.com/ C-Space]
  • Chambers Fine Art
  • [http://www.eggartgallery.cn/ Egg Art Gallery]
  • Galerie Urs Meile
  • [http://harksgallery.com/ Harks Gallery]
  • [http://www.inkstudio.com.cn/ INK studio]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20130127050530/http://li-space.com/ LI Space]
  • Pékin Fine Arts
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20130106213951/http://www.platformchina.org/ Platform China]
  • [http://www.taikangspace.com/ Taikang Space]
  • Three Shadows Photography Art Centre
  • ShanghART Gallery
  • [http://www.xgallery.cn.com X Gallery]
  • Forest Studio
  • [http://www.forest-studio.net Forest Studio]

Notable people living in Caochangdi

See also

Book references

  • Mary-Ann Ray and Robert Mangurian (2009), [https://web.archive.org/web/20130813171449/http://timezone8.com/osc/product_info.php?products_id=124 Caochangdi, Beijing Inside Out: Farmers, Floaters, Taxi Drivers, Artists, and the International Art Mob Challenge and Remake the City]. Hong Kong: Timezone 8. {{ISBN|9881752248}}.

References

External links

  • [http://caochangdi.org/ Caochangdi website]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20090715085546/http://review.redboxstudio.cn/2009/03/beijing-art-scene-798-and-caochangdi/ Reviews of shows]
  • [http://www.ccdworkstation.com CCD Workstation]
  • [http://www.fabienfryns.com/ Fabien Fryns Fine Art]
  • [http://www.pekinfinearts.com Pékin Fine Arts gallery]
  • [http://www.galerieursmeile.com/ Galerie Urs Meile]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20130106213951/http://www.platformchina.org/ Platform China]
  • [http://www.dianacoca.com/ Diana Coca]
  • [http://fodderfactory.caochangdi.org/ The Fodder Factory Art Cafe]

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Category:Arts in China

Category:Chinese art

Category:Contemporary art organizations

Category:Ai Weiwei

Category:Chaoyang District, Beijing