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On a whim, Zoe and I decided to go to the Dashanzi Art District of Beijing, an old factory and industrial park, which has since been squatted by artists and converted into a number of galleries and artists’ studios. It reminded me a bit of Christiania in Copenhagen in its vibe, minus the open drug commerce. It’s a great part of town and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a little alternative art culture in the cauldron that is Beijing. Quiet and relaxed, a peaceful sanctuary that has some pretty interesting art as well. While we were there, we walked into a gallery owned by Pop Zhao, an apparently very well established Chinese artist who took the time to discuss some of his work with us (Thanks Zhao!). His latest work involves the juxtaposition of Mao’s “Little Red Book” iconography with the logos and slogans of large corporations, evoking a sense of the paradoxical overlap between the propaganda of both the communist and capitalist machines as well as the identity crisis facing China today. Very interesting stuff.
Hi I work in a magazine in Mexico City, we are working in an article about art in Beijing. Could you tell me how do you get the image from the work of Pop Zhao and what’s the name of the gallery you mentioned. Thank you very much, I’ll apreciate if you can mail me