ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 24 Beihai North subway station entrance was the first place I stepped outside in the city the first week in Beijing on my way to art openings further down the line. Across the street an imposing antique building made me wonder what it was. Plastic wrapped young women sold tours in the rain. Identically hatted tourist teams disappeared into worryingly … [Read more...]

ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 22 Still with a lengthy list of unseen places in Beijing despite a month in the city, on my last day I returned to Beihai Park to be outside in a garden. The northwest section contains temples, pavilions, memorials, and a large lake-front walkway. Restoration produces a deceptive blend of ancient and contemporary sensibilities. Real people sing and dance … [Read more...]

ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 20 The front entrance to the Imperial City in Beijing is called Tian'anmen, or Gate of Heavenly Peacemaking. First built in 1415 during the Ming Dynasty, it is where Mao Zedong's portrait is centrally hung. Forbidden city is within the Imperial City north of Tian'anmen. The immense open area called Tian'anmen Square is on the opposite side of a busy … [Read more...]

ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 19 Begun in 500 BCE, the great wall is actually many walls built at different times with different materials depending on the era and region. (See Peter Hessler and David Spindler). An archaeological survey by China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage announced in June 2012 the completion of a five year measurement of the wall at 21,196.18 km … [Read more...]