Art Gallery Tour Beijing – explore the local art scene in the most efficient way.
After living in China for almost 5 years and making many art strolls in Beijing I found that most information I searched on the internet was rather incomplete, old, or just too much information. Because of this, it took me quite many days to visit the most interesting places and even longer to find the spots that I stop now regularly because of the good shows and concepts they present. Today it is my aim to make you this knowledge accessible. In the very practical way of a special Art Gallery Tour Beijing (actually, two different art walks!).
Two art gallery tours to see around 70% of what Beijing’s art scene has to offer. (if you are interested in an art walk in Shanghai click here!)
So here is the plan. We packed around 12-15 must-see Galleries & Museums together on each tour which you can visit easily in one day. (In Beijing you can easily do this in 2 days compared to Shanghai where you need at least 3 days to get an overview.) Compared to Shanghai, we put it in an easy overview map simply based on a Chinese Baidu map. So you can as well show it to some locals and they might be able to help you around if you are lost. Also, we put a small Info (not too much) of each gallery below, and the rest we believe you will find out yourself by just visiting them.
Opening Times
Note that the official opening times of Galleries & Museums are usually from around 10:30 am to 17:30pm. We recommend that you check them out during the week from Tuesday-Friday since then it will be not very crowded. However, if you like you can do them as well on the weekend and end up in an official opening with canapes and drinks. But don’t go on Mondays since all of them are usually closed if you do not have an appointment. So let’s get started with our first art gallery tour Beijing.
Art Gallery Tour Beijing 1: 798 Art District
Luckily Beijing is quite easy since 70% of all Galleries in the center are in 798 and CaoChangDi which is around 20-30 min walking distance in the north of 798. We recommend starting with your first day in 798 at the Dinosaurs in front of the UCCA.
How to get there? Very easy…simply show the taxidriver the information below. It will bring you to the West Gate (Xi Men) of 798. From there it is just 300m down the street to the UCCA.
If you want to save money you can go as well with the subway Line 14 to Jiangtai. Take exit A and follow the Jiuxianqiao Road to the north for around 10-15min. However, we recommend using a taxi since you will walk anyway the whole day so better save some energy!
Here is the first map of our art gallery tours Beijing. Just follow our suggested route in the order from 1-14. Enjoy! And let us know in the comments how you liked it.
1. UCCA
Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) is an international institution that exhibits, educates, and researches about art from China and the rest of the world. UCCA has attracted millions of visitors and presented more than a hundred exhibitions. Featuring artists such as Xu Zhen, Wang Keping, Marcel Duchamp and Teppei Kenuji. The center offers various programs including talks, screening, performance, and workshops. Through its Creative Studio program, UCCA is also dedicated to public art education for young children.
Note: Tickets around 100-180 RMB
2. Hive Art Center
Hive Center for Contemporary Art was founded in 2008 and operated as a commercial gallery since 2013. Covering approximately 4,000 square meters and owning five international-standard exhibition halls, Hive Center for Contemporary Art is one of the largest art institutions in Greater China.
They represent outstanding artists and provide high-quality art consultant service. Also, they are now one of the most influential galleries in China.
Note: Ticket 10 RMB and 5RMB for students
3. Beijing Commune
Founded in 2004, Beijing Commune is now located in 798 Art Factory, Beijing. Its initial programs were mainly group shows exploring various currents in contemporary art. But now they primarily focus on solo shows to carry on in-depth research. It fosters a space where the most influential figures in the Chinese art scene launched their solo exhibitions in their careers. Including Zhang Xiaogang, Yue Minjun, Song Dong, Yin Xiuzhen, Hong Hao and Liu Jianhua. Simultaneously they are serving as the incubator for emerging artists to create the new vision of Chinese contemporary art. For example Fan Shuru, Liang Shuo, Lu Yang, Song Ta, Wang Guangle, Xie Molin, and Zhao Yao.
4. Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery
Founded in Beijing by Hadrien de Montferrand in 2009, it opened a second space in Hangzhou in 2013. The gallery has hosted solo shows of established Chinese artists including He An, Zhao Zhao, and Jiang Zhi. It also launched the careers of younger artists such as Lu Chao, Wang Yi, and Zhu Rixin. Besides, the gallery has sought to bring Western artists to a new audience in Asia. Often by presenting them alongside well-known Chinese artists. Dual shows of Venezuelan artist Elias Crespin with Ding Yi, of Cameroonese artist Barthélémy Toguo with Guo Wei. Or French artist Jean-Charles Blais with Wang Keping are part of this logic.
5. Platform China
A dynamic exhibition space that showcases experimental work, cutting-edge art forms, new media, and installation art. Founded in 2005, Platform China has since established five international residency studios. Encouraging open exchange between Chinese and international artists through shows, events, publications, and art projects. Platform China retains its mission to discover and promote new Chinese talent, providing a much-needed platform for experimentation and development.
6. Urs Meile Gallery
As one of the few early art entrepreneurs, Urs Meile established its Gallery in 1992. He contributed to the presentation and dissemination of contemporary art, from painting and sculpture to photography, installation, and video. The gallery is working from two locations: Lucerne (Switzerland) and Beijing (China). While its center of operations is based in Switzerland, the Beijing gallery has established itself as an international meeting place for collectors, curators, artists, and aficionados of the arts.
The gallery represents established artists such as Wang Xingwei, Xie Nanxing, Qiu Shihua, Not Vital, and Tobias Rehberger (in Asia). As well as emerging artists such as Cao Yu, Chen Fei, Cheng Ran, Li Gang, Zhou Siwei, Hu Qingyan, and Julia Steiner.
7. FARSCHOU FOUNDATION
Faurschou Foundation is a private art institution with a contemporary art collection, established by Luise and Jens Faurschou. With spaces in Copenhagen and Beijing, the foundation aims to introduce contemporary art to broader audiences. It has presented exhibitions of works by internationally renowned artists such as Ai Weiwei, Cai Guo-Qiang, and more.
8. Pace Beijing
Opened by leading international contemporary art gallery Pace in 2008 this showroom is a vital part of the local art scene. It represents contemporary art in Asia by showcasing Asian artists through their rigorous programming by bringing major names such as Song Dong, Liu Jianhua, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Qiu Zhijie to the gallery.
9.Red Gate Gallery
Founded in 1991 by Brian Wallace who first arrived in China in 1984 and started curate exhibitions for young Chinese Artists, Red Gate Gallery is the first private contemporary art gallery to be established in China. Prior to its new location now it was located in an amazing 600-year old Ming dynasty watchtower in Dongbianmen. With monthly exhibitions of their roundabout 20 artists, the gallery showcases painting, works-on-paper, graphics, sculpture, photography, and installation by both established artists and emerging talents.
Especially their vibrant Artist-In-Residence Programme established in 2001 helped greatly to form a dialog between China and the rest of the word.
10. Boers Li Gallery
BOERS-LI GALLERY was founded in 2005 by Waling Boers, a Dutch curator who had previously established connections to Chinese artists as the founder of the non-profit art space Büro Friedrich in Berlin, and Chinese curator Pi Li.
The Gallery represents successive generations of internationally operating Chinese artists and seeks to open dialogues between the different stages of Chinese contemporary art: the “underground” period of No Name Group and Star Group from the 1970s, the Beijing Abstract Movement from the early 1980s, the ’85 New Wave Movement, the New Media Movement in the 1990s, as well as the younger generations: the so-called “Millennials” and “Post-Internet.” The gallery participates in various international art fairs such as Frieze New York and Frieze Masters, Art Basel in Switzerland and in Hong Kong, and regional fairs in Shanghai, Taipei, and Singapore.
11. Tang Contemporary
Tang Contemporary Art was established in 1997 in Bangkok, later establishing galleries in Beijing and Hong Kong. They have their largest space in 798 and is one of the most progressive and critically-driven exhibition spaces in China. Through its rigorous programming, the gallery was able to represent many leading Chinese artists, including Ai Weiwei, Huang Yongping and Shen Yuan.
12. Galleria Continua
In April 2004 Galleria Continua participated in the first contemporary art fair in Beijing and opened it’s space just one year later. It has become an exciting venue for presenting artists from around the world. Such as Buren, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Anish Kapoor, Antony Gormley, Kader Attia, Michelangelo Pistoletto and of course local heavyweights Chen Zhen and Ai Weiwei.
13. M WOODS
M Woods Museum is a private not-for-profit art museum founded by collectors Lin Han and Wanwan Lei, and co-founded by Michael Xufu Huang, that opened in 2014. Housed in a former munitions factory in Beijing’s 798 Art District, M Woods is dedicated to showcasing emerging artists on a bigger platform and re-discovering established artists from new perspectives. The museum houses collections regardless of an artwork’s period and geographical origin.
14. Long March Gallery
Founded by Lu Jie in the 798 Art District of Beijing in 2002, Long March Space plays a vital role in pursuing new avenues of production & discourse. Therefore they progressively showcase intellectually and culturally significant works for example from CHEN Chieh-Jen, Tianzhuo CHEN, GUO Fengyi, Ran HUANG, HU Xiangqian, LIU Wei, SU Yu-Xin, WANG Jianwei, WANG Sishun, WU Shanzhuan, Inga SVALA THORSDOTTIR & WU Shanzhuan, XU Zhen, Xu Zhen®, YANG Shaobin, YU Hong, ZHAN Wang, ZHANG Hui, Vivien ZHANG, ZHAO Gang, ZHOU Xiaohu, ZHU Yu.
If you are hungry check out Timezone 8or any of the nice cafes/restaurants close by the main road.
Art Gallery Tour Beijing 2: CaoChangDi
This area is located in the north of 798 and there are less people usually then in 798 but I would consider it the more interesting place since it is much more local and less “hip” then the touristic 798. Start at the entrance of CaoChangDi close to the “Capital Airport Side road”road.
Taxi Card
With this info, your taxidriver should drop you at the right place: (or check with the reception of your hotel to help you explain to the driver)
If you want to save money and go by subway simply forget it. There is no direct line and it will cost you lots of time to walk if you are not even get lost. Only if you are already in 798 you can walk around 20min in a north direction passing Wangjing park to get there.
So here is the second map of our art gallery tours Beijing and again just follow our suggested route in the order from 1-13. Let’s go!
1. C + Local Space
C-Space was founded by Melle Hendrikse in 2008 and the focus of C-Space is on representing a new generation of Chinese artists. C-Space further introduces projects by a range of international artists, who are invited by the gallery to spend time in China to practice and develop their works. The exhibitions are dedicated to providing solo presentations for artists at a formative stage, as well as to support artists who have significantly contributed to the development of contemporary art in China.
2. Taikang Space
Taikang Space is a non-profit art institution devoted to the collection, exhibition, research, and promotion of Chinese contemporary art. It was founded by Taikang Life Insurance Co., Ltd in 2003, and has received long-term support from the company. In 2009, Taikang Space relocated from the 798 Art District to Caochangdi.
Over the course of more than ten years of operation, Taking Space has gradually developed its academic concept: under the rubric of “retrospection and encouragement”, it aims to investigate past material from an art-historical perspective, while maintaining a simultaneous concern with nuanced art practices that point towards the future.
3. Ink Studio
Ink Studio is a vital force that documents and promotes contemporary ink paintings from the whole China. It is dedicated to presenting works that explore new possibilities of this traditional media. The gallery represents important figures including Wang Dongling, Zheng Chongbin, Yang Jiechang, and more.
4. Chambers fine art
Opened in 2007, Chambers Fine Art is situated in a building designed by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. To enter Chambers Fine Art’s gallery, you will walk through a courtyard where sculptures are displayed. Chambers Fine Art supports the careers of Chinese contemporary artists using both traditional and modern artistic techniques to tackle socio-political issues, through their curation techniques in its Beijing and New York spaces.
5. Beijing Art Now Gallery
Since its establishment in 2004, Beijing Art Now has presented many influential exhibitions and collaborated with renowned international institutions. The gallery has a dedicated video room used for experimental exhibitions and projects.
6. Ying Space
Founded in September 2012, the gallery is dedicated to promote young and emerging artists both in China and overseas, who focuses on originality, inheriting the tradition and breaking through the boundary of contemporary art. Ying Spaced supports the production of art works in different media, including oil on canvas, ink on rice paper, installation and sculpture etc. Young talents who find their careers in China will be given chances here to present their creativity.
7. ShanghART
The gallery was initiated in 1996 and it has since grown to become one of China’s most influential contemporary art institutions. ShanghART has established itself as a leading gallery representing established figures whilst continuing to support the work of innovative younger artists.
ShanghART represents over 40 of China’s most talented artists working with different media ranging from painting and sculpture to video art and performance. Today ShanghART works out of three spaces in Shanghai and one space in Beijing.
8. WhiteSpace
Founded in 2004, The gallery aims to grow with its artists by producing rigorously curated exhibitions and collaborating with international art fairs, museums, and institutions. The gallery was initially located in the 798 Art Factory and moved to Caochangdi Art District in 2009.
9. De Sarthe
Opened in 2014, de Sarthe Gallery Beijing is dedicated to promoting both Chinese masters and the new generations of Chinese contemporary artists such as Zao Wou-Ki, Chu Teh-Chun, Wang Guofeng, Zhou Wendou and more. It aims to become a platform in Asia that brings together artists, collectors, curators and many participants in the art world. The gallery was initially founded in 1977 in Paris, and now has spaces in Hong Kong and Beijing.
10. EGG Gallery
EGG Gallery was founded in 2008, with foreign cultural background and research of Chinese contemporary art. In the selection of artists and works, focusing on the artist’s own qualities and academic research of works and personal style. Every year EGG Gallery participates in 2-3 domestic or international art fairs, held 6 or 7 group exhibitions or solo exhibition. Excellent artworks and unique aesthetic concept, has been running through the gallery.
11. Pekin Fine Arts
Pékin Fine Arts is a Beijing-based private consultancy and art gallery established by Meg Maggio in November 2005. Ms. Maggio is a 20-year China resident, arts writer, curator, and director of Pékin Fine Arts Gallery, in Beijing. With over 600 square meters of exhibition space designed by Beijing-based artist/architect Ai Weiwei, Pékin Fine Arts strives to represent and to promote the best and most innovative contemporary artists from Asia, focusing on individuals adept at working in a wide variety of medium, with experience in both domestic and international exhibitions.
12. Three Shadows Photography Art Center
Located up a quiet road in the vibrant Caochangdi art district, it is Beijing’s premiere photography venue and the first of its kind in China to be exclusively dedicated to contemporary photography and video art practices. Launched in 2007 by a husband-and-wife duo who are photographers by trade, the center hosts landmark exhibitions by a selection of talented Chinese and international photographers. The complex, which was designed by acclaimed contemporary artist Ai Weiwei, features 880 square-meters of gallery space, a library, café, darkrooms, production studios, and spaces for workshops and artists-in-residence.
13. Amy Li Gallery
Amy Li Gallery, founded in 2008 in Beijings Pinggod Art Plaza, originally named Dialogue Space, the gallery relocated to Caochangdi art district in 2013, renamed as Amy Li Gallery. The gallery is dedicated to the promotion of the emerging art forms and design creations, while collaborating intimately with both domestic and international established artists.
The gallery remains as well the main bureau for the vice-chairman of the Art Gallery Association Beijing.