Art Attack Christmas Edition: Solar Christmas Trees, Mulled Wine and the Gift of New Openings

It’s a little early, but in America, halls were being decked before Thanksgiving, so I think we’re OK getting a peek at the gifts tucked away in the closet. Just yesterday The Bookworm had their Christmas Carol reading, and this week we’ve got more to look forward to: a solar Christmas tree installation at the Opposite House, a screening of It’s a Wonderful Life complete with mulled wine, and the unwrapping of tons of new exhibits.

Also this week, the Booey Lehoo theater night, with performances by the folks at Cheeky Monkey Theater. Booey Lehoo events are free to attend but require reservation, so scoot over to their website to do what you gotta do.

Speaking of theater, Chinese-American dancer and choreographer Philein Wang is in town with her much-lauded independent modern dance production Zero Hour. Read more about the show here, and see below for event details.

If you’re feeling festive but opposed to the senseless hacking down of pine trees, you can enjoy some lights and holiday spirit at the Opposite House atrium. The boutique hotel has invited Veissman Heating Technologies to install a tree made of solar thermal vacuum tubes. Sounds cozy.

Christmas is coming early for art fans, as this weekend brings another barrage of new openings. Perhaps most exciting is the opening of a new digital arts museum in the Southwest part of the city (near Capital Museum). It’s a ridiculously long name, but we’ll just call it CMoDA (China Museum of Digital Arts?). They’ve partnered with some international teams to put on what looks to be a fantastically fun, sprawling multimedia exhibit called AV@AR. If you can see past the cutesy AOL-speak title, find details below.

Uber-respected artist Lin Tianmiao is also opening her show at the classy Beijing Center for the Arts, while photographer Wang Qingsong (best known for his quirky staged images usually featuring McDonald’s icons and the like) has a new carnivalesque show opening at Tang Contemporary.

And hutong dwellers won’t want to miss your last chance to catch the quirky “Not Only A Taoist Troublemaker” show at Zajia, the bar that thinks it’s an art gallery (or is it the other way around?).

Last but not least, on Sunday, head over to The Hutong for a special Food, Film and Friends, where you'll watch holiday classic It's A Wonderful Life (confession: I've never seen it), drink mulled wine and tuck into some Chinese comfort food.

We’re fighting a lingering cough, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get out there and enjoy yourselves. Stay warm!

Last call:

Not Only A Taoist Troublemaker
Until Dec 18. A site-specific installation in Zajia’s mashup of art space, bar and performance venue. Free. Zajia (8404 9141)

New openings:

Limitless
Dec 10-Jan 19. Feng Mengbo’s video game art and Miao Xiaochun’s 3D animation go head to head. Free. Arario Gallery (5202 3800)

AV@AR
Dec 17-Jan 3. A new digital arts venue opens with interactive short film programs, audio-visual performances and multimedia installations all focusing on digital media and technology. Free. China Millennium Monument Museum of Digital Arts (5980 2317)

Lin Tianmiao: The Same
Dec 17-Feb 26. The globally respected feminist artist unveils installations laboriously ensconced in yarn and gold foil. Free. Beijing Center for the Arts (6559 8008)

Wu Shanzhuan and Inga Svala Thorsdottir: Kuo Xuan
Dec 17-Jan 20. Art for geometry nerds, with juxtaposed brackets, spirals, and curves evolving over several phases on a giant graph paper-esque wall. Free. Long March Space (5978 9768)

Wang Qingsong: Happy New Year
Dec 17-Feb 25. One of the shining stars of China’s gaudy art movement hits us with a carnivalistic New Year’s themed exhibit. Free. Tang Contemporary (6436 3518)

Dec 16
Play! Theater Shorts
Part of this week’s Booey Lehoo arts week, the show features a series of 10-minute shorts by Chinese and American actors in collaboration with Beijing-based Cheeky Monkey Theater Productions. Free. Reservations required. 7.30pm. Star Theater (6603 5486)

Dec 16-18
Modern Dance/Hip Hop: Zero Hour
A touching multimedia production that blends modern dance, hip-hop and tai chi. Tickets at 5705 0707. RMB 98-320. 8pm. Beijing EE City Theatre (5705 0707)

Dec 18
Food, Film & Friends: Wintermas
Mulled wine and It’s a Wonderful Life, plus Chinese comfort foods. RMB 240, RMB 200 (members), RMB 35 (screening only). 5pm (cooking), 7.30pm (screening). The Hutong (159 0104 6127)

Dec 21
Film: Shall We Dance?
The quirky and beloved Japanese film will get you in the mood to waltz. RMB 30 (includes coffee or tea). 7pm. Riverbank Bar and Café (6506 8277)

Dec 21-24
Opera: Tosca
Giancarlo del Monaco’s direction and staging made this an NCPA extravaganza. Here’s another chance to catch the breathtaking revamp. RMB 160-880. 7.30pm. NCPA Opera House (6655 0000)

Photos: Courtesy of the Opposite House