THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Beijing - page 151

798'S BEST GALLERIES
BeijingCommune 北京公社 , běijīng gōngshè 010 86549428, beijingcommune.com .
Small place renowned for its imaginatively curated shows. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm.
Galleria Continua 常青画廊 , chángqīng huàláng 010 64361005, galleriacon-
tinua.com . Shows international and home-grown art stars across three floors' worth of
space - head up to the top for a nuts-and-bolts view (literally) of the former factory. They
tend to choose artists “with something to say”, and rotate exhibitions 3-5 times per year.
Tues-Sun 11am-6pm.
Long March Space 长征空间 , chángzhēng kōngjiān 010 64387107, longmarch-
space.com . This space is popular for its attempts to reach out to the masses with education
programmes (as its name hints). Tues-Sun 11am-7pm.
Mansudae Art Studio 万寿台创作社美术馆 , wànshòutái chuàng zuòshè mĕishùguăn
010 59789317, myinweb.com/mansudae . Small studio displaying North Korean paint-
ing - every bit as fascinating as you might imagine, with pieces ranging from misty moun-
tain scenes to brave Socialist Realism. There's also a small shop on site, where you can buy
North Korean goodies. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm.
Tokyo Gallery+ 东京艺术工程 , dōngjīng yìshùgōngchéng 010 84573245, tokyo-
gallery.com . The first gallery to set up shop here, and still one of the best, with a large,
elegant space for challenging shows. Tues-Sun 10am-5.30pm.
Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art 尤伦斯当代艺术中心 , yóulúnsī dāngdài
yìshùzhōngxīn 010 64386675, ucca.org.cn . This huge non-profit space is more of a
museum than a gallery; nothing is for sale and it is the only place that charges an entrance
fee. There are three exhibition halls and a programme of regular events (all detailed on the
website), which mainly focus on Asian artists. Tues-Sun 10am-7pm; free on Thurs, other-
wise ￥ 15.
White Space 空白空间 , kòngbái kōngjiān 010 84562054, alexanderochs-galler-
ies.de . This well-run space, owned by a German curator, has a reputation for putting on
challenging shows by up-and-coming artists. Tues-Sat 10am-6pm.
< Back to The far north
Caochangdi
曹场地 , cǎochǎngdì • caochangdi.org • Off the Airport Expressway, near the Fifth Ring Rd • ￥ 45-60 by
taxi from the centre, or ￥ 10 from 798
If the 798 Art District is just too commercial for you, take a cab to Caochangdi , a couple
of kilometres towards the airport. This overspill gallery area, away from the tourists and
boutiques, is where the hardcore avant-gardists escaped to when 798 became too mainstream