Gallery Weekend Beijing to Paint 798 Art District Red (and Other Colors), May 22-31
After initially being postponed due to COVID-19 earlier this year, Gallery Weekend Beijing (GWBJ) is finally set to go ahead May 26-31. Slightly concerning is the fact that those dates fall during this year's Two Sessions, an event whose organizers are not exactly known for their love of frivolity and freewheeling creativity.
Nevertheless, this marks GWBJ's fourth year running, marking a week-long celebration of contemporary art and performance hosted throughout various galleries dotted throughout Beijing’s premier creative district, 798 Art District.
Speaking to Artforum, Amber Yifei Wang, GWBJ director, described how "Despite the enormous challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are extremely excited to open Gallery Weekend Beijing 2020." Wang lauded the decision to hold the event as "an important moment for the arts community in China and the world,” adding that it, "signals a revival of Beijing’s art scene and the art market."
Philip Tinari, director and CEO of GWBJ institutional partner, UCCA, echoed a similar sentiment, saying, "We look forward to this year’s edition not only for the great exhibitions and programs it will include, but also as a signal of the return to cultural life for our city."
In addition to being one of the first large-scale events of its kind since COVID-19 ground the city’s operations to a halt, GWBJ also marks the reopening of UCCA and M WOODS, two of Beijing’s most prominent non-profit galleries. Given that indoor attractions have largely been closed for the last three months, the news that these two artistic titans will once again welcome visitors is a thrill for those who have been bereft of cultural fulfillment.
This year’s event will also feature a conversation between GWBJ organizers and members of Zurich Art Weekend about the problems and opportunities of navigating crises. Likewise, UCCA’s exhibition, “Meditations in an Emergency,” will foster a dialogue between domestic and international artists about what it means to live through a global catastrophe. And in keeping with 2020’s theme of digital engagement, many of the exhibitions and events will be broadcast online for folks who are stuck abroad.
The fact that GWBJ is moving ahead is a huge boon to the art world given that similar events across the globe have been delayed or outright canceled. From South by Southwest in the US to Art Basel in Hong Kong, it seemed as though no celebration of creativity would be spared. And while some of these events definitely won’t see a rescheduling in 2020, GWBJ gives us hope that the year won't be a complete wash.
This year's GWBJ takes place May 26-31 with VIP days scheduled the weekend prior, May 22-24 (exhibitions will be closed on Monday, May 25). For a more detailed schedule, you can visit GWBJ's website, or follow them on WeChat (ID: gwbjofficial).
READ: National Art Museum of China Reopens Today, Allows Foreigners
Images: Gallery Weekend Beijing, Wikimedia
