Art Attack: Jia Zhangke Treats You to Art Movies, Plus More Art, Books and Music

Exciting news this week as indie filmmaker Jia Zhangke announced his plans to open a 100-seat art house theater on Beijing’s east side. In the meantime, artist Susan Philipsz opens her exhibit, we take the Beijinger live and you get slammed with live poetry, cabaret and more.

Jia Zhangke’s announced last Sunday that he’s opening an arthouse theater in Beijing. He also posted on his Weibo when he went to check out the site (cross our fingers it’s not in Tongzhou). It’ll be small, and he has no plans to make money off it (good, because he probably won’t … ), but it means he’ll be advocating for more changes in the film quota – ones that benefit non-3-D and IMAX films.

You can read more about his plans here, here and here. Many have been claiming it’ll be Beijing’s first art house theater, but that’s arguable. BC MOMA’s been meeting artsy filmgoers’ needs for years now, though it’s true their screens aren’t solely dedicated to non-blockbuster programming. Apparently they need to pay their rent. UCCA’s Art Cinema also has great indie screenings. For those who want to go even deeper into uncharted territory, there’s Li Xianting’s Film Fund and screenings at Fanhall in Songzhuang. So these options have existed, just not in a wholly dedicated way. We’ll keep you posted as more news comes.

Scottish artist Susan Philipsz worked with her octogenarian father on a new sound installation specifically for her new exhibit in Beijing, which opens at Mizuma & One this weekend. She’s known for creating haunting sound art that stirs up all those feelings of loss, longing and other yucky gunk deep down inside. Should be fun.

Also this weekend: a Red Gate Gallery opening. Manager Liyu Yeo is heading to Paris, so he’s curated a collection of the gallery’s top-notch artists. If you haven’t wandered through its watchtower space to peer at art, then had a glass of wine overlooking the city, here’s a chance to do so.

And of course, BLF and JUE are still in full swing, with tons of great talks and shows this weekend. A couple highlights: the Beijinger’s very own Pop-Up Magazine tonight, SLAM! at 2 Kolegas tomorrow night and a talk by Booker winner Carol Birch – also on Saturday night,

If you’re itching to “travel,” Food, Film & Friends goes to Greece on Mar 18, and a screening of Heima takes us to Iceland (and beyond!) with Sigur Rós. Bon voyage!

Event details:

New art openings:
Huang Ran: Disruptive Desires, Tranquility, and the Loss of Lucidity
Mar 16-Apr 16. Catch this buzzy young video and installation artist’s first solo show here before it moves on to the Frieze Art Fair in New York. Free. Long March Space (5978 9768)

Susan Philipsz: It Means Nothing To Me
Mar 17-Apr 15. The Scottish sound artist has teamed up with her 80-year-old father. Free. Mizuma & One Gallery (5127 3267)

Tous Mes Voeux!
Mar 17-30. Red Gate Gallery’s tireless manager Liyu Yeo is setting sail for Paris. This showing of his favorite artists is his final farewell. Au revoir! Free. Red Gate Gallery (6525 1005)

Other events:

Mar 16
Artist Talk: Susan Philipsz
The art world’s favorite sound artist talks Scottish laments and winning the Turner Prize. Free. 4pm. UCCA (5780 0200)

Mar 16
Pop-Up Magazine
A live action version of this very magazine? It’s all too real. RMB 80. 8pm. The Bookworm (6503 2050)

Mar 17
Jamrach’s Menagerie: Carol Birch
Jamrach’s Menagerie is a fast-paced adventure tale with a haunting twist. Birch talks of dangers and instincts. RMB 65. 8pm. The Bookworm (6503 2050)

SLAM!
Two dyanamic and powerful performance poets – Tim Clare and Luka Lesson – will be joined by neofolk Montreal musician Courtney Wing. RMB 100. 9pm. 2 Kolegas (6436 8998)

Mar 18
Food, Film & Friends: Greece
Feta cheese and Ulysses’ Gaze, by Theo Angelopoulos. RMB 240, RMB 200 (members), RMB 30 (screening only). 5pm (cooking), 7.30pm (screening). The Hutong (159 0104 6127; see Living directory)

Putong Hua: Animal Encounters
Live storytelling event with some the best of Beijing’s pub, playhouse, classroom and street corner storytellers. RMB 50. 10pm.

Mar 20
Footnotes: Cabaret
Join Helena, Torbjorn and Alan as they perform some of the great Cabaret songs from the past 100 years. RMB 50. 10pm. The Bookworm (6503 2050)

Celluloid Dreams: Zhu Wen & Murong Xuecun
Zhu and Murong discuss the challenges writing for the Chinese film industry – the third largest in the world. In Chinese with English translation. RMB 65. 1pm. The Bookworm (6503 2050)

Mar 21
Death Drive
Tim Clare gives an encore performance of his brutally honest, hilarious and heartfelt show Death Drive. RMB 100. 7pm. Punk (6410 5222; see Nightlife directory)

Film: Heima
Visuals to match Sigur Rós’ sound. RMB 40. 7.30pm. Riverbank Bar and Café (6506 8277)

The Moira Monologues: A “One-Woman” Performance
Alan Bissett performs his “one-woman” show, based on stories and characters from his childhood in Falkirk. RMB 50. 10pm.

Photo: Fest21.com