Second, it seems that others are referring to creative industries.
After writing down this topic, I think it may be more appropriate to call it "SOHO mode". After all, 798 is very similar to SOHO in new york, while SOHO in new york is earlier and more mature, but 798 is closer to us and we are more familiar with it, so let's call it "798 mode". My question is: When a behavior becomes a pattern, does it still have vitality? Does the creative spirit still exist? Can you continue to create wealth? Especially in the creative industry that sells creativity, it is difficult to draw a simple conclusion, just like today's 798 model.
At first, Robert (American, who runs 798 "Art Bookstore") entered 798 only because of his love for avant-garde art in China. Introduce more artists to Xiaoli (fashion designer, managing 798 "Leader's Clothing"), probably just to make Cang Xin (artist, for Xiaoli's husband) not lonely there; Rui Huang (artist, dealing in 798 "AT Coffee" and "South Gate Space") seems to see some possibilities in 798. Perhaps none of them expected that 798 would become a new fashion landmark and "cultural zoo" in Beijing within two years, and the land price quadrupled or quintupled in just four years, even attracting overseas real estate predators. In fact, in the final analysis, it should be said that the artist's natural creative talent is in line with the current era personality of "creativity generates wealth". They used this era intentionally or unintentionally, or were used by this era intentionally or unintentionally.
Different from SOHO in new york, the formation of 798 is more spontaneous, even today there is some resistance. Aside from these, we can sum up several aspects of the "success" of 798 intentionally or unintentionally.
First of all, buildings with modern industrial aesthetic characteristics have low rents at first.
When East Germany aided the construction of the 7 18 joint factory in 1950s, it was the most suitable workshop for the operation of large industrial machinery-with large space, simple structure and incomparable solidity. Later, it lost its former glory, leaving only a few workers, bare red brick factories and criss-crossing pipes outside. Compared with the bizarre modern buildings in this city, it smells decadent and feels like a lifetime ago. This feeling provides endless imagination space for artists' creation.
More importantly, because it is an abandoned factory, the rent here is very cheap. At that time, the daily rent per square meter was only about 0.5 yuan. Calculated, the monthly rent for a 200-square-meter space is only about 3,000 yuan! This is undoubtedly good news for some artists who need more creative space and have little economic strength. As a result, some artists ended their wandering in Yuanmingyuan and came here one after another to set up the original art factory. At that time, they mainly appeared in the form of studios, such as Xu Yong's "Time and Space" gallery and the Japanese "Tokyo Art Plan" introduced by Rui Huang. Later, "time and space" almost became the symbol of 798.
It is these studios and galleries scattered in the empty factory building that open a creative door for 798. Soon, bars, coffee shops, studios, galleries and even fashion, fashion accessories stores, magazines and advertising companies flooded the dilapidated factory.
As a result, the emergence of artists has brought unprecedented creative spirit.
The most striking feature of artists different from ordinary people is that they are full of whimsy. They always try to break the established rules. This is the case with artists in 798. In their hands, those old factories suddenly became strange without being destroyed-because the interior has been decorated by artists' works of art, and different applicable spaces have been divided according to artists' ideas.
Every day, various creative exhibitions, performances, activities and performance arts are staged here, attracting countless art lovers, intellectuals, petty bourgeoisie youths and tourists. Moreover, all exhibition rules are basically free, and it is a paradise for "art sightseeing". Not only art, but also various commercial activities have begun to pay attention to it. Sony held a new product launch conference here, and even many world-class clothes were released or exhibited here. In the eyes of merchants, this is a region full of creative spirit, which conforms to the spirit of merchants and can also prove the cultural taste of goods. Indeed, whether it is electronic products or fashion, creativity is always the driving force for its survival.
Furthermore, people's pursuit of culture and novel life.
Today's consumption is not just material consumption, culture has become an indispensable part of people's lives, and creativity is the "raw material" of cultural products. Whether they really love culture and art, are arty or just curious, they can always find what they want in 798.
Take bar consumption as an example. In the past, Beijingers mainly went to Sanlitun, but now they mainly go to Houhai and 798. If they go to Sanlitun, they may be ridiculed as "farmers" and "nouveau riche". This is the demand of cultural consumption. Going to 798 is not only the culture and taste, but also the artist's private life and all kinds of strange-looking performance art performances, which are also the reasons why people go. There are elements of curiosity and "voyeurism" in it. No matter what kind of mentality, the artist's creative spirit makes 798 unique, which is the most important factor to attract people.
Finally, the official final approval and the injection of assets from all parties.
If only those artists existed, it would be difficult for 798 to develop into today's situation. After all, they are "non-mainstream", with limited financial resources and influence, and need outside support. In fact, because of the status of avant-garde artists in China and the worship of real estate developers there, the future of 798 has always been a problem. Later, many powerful institutions and groups continued to move in, including large galleries run by foreign royalty and huge capital acquisitions, which finally saved this miraculous place.
Now because the government pays more and more attention to the development of creative industries, 798 has gradually entered the government's sight. Not long ago, Beijing has designated 798 as a creative park, and Beijing is currently compiling the "Beijing Excellent Modern Architecture Protection Plan", and the 798 factory is expected to enter the protection scope. The government's approval makes 798 no longer have to worry about whether to tear it down or stay. In fact, this is the demand of social development. If we live in a conservative society that doesn't need creativity, it's hard to imagine what the result will be.
798 survived, which witnessed the change of social attitude towards creative industries in just a few years. Now, it has become one of the symbols of Beijing. Many foreigners' tourist routes to Beijing are the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and 798. The author once saw a foreigner get off the plane and go straight here in the "Rain" Gallery in 798, which shows its international influence.
The art district has remained, but the artists are faced with the question of whether to stay or not: in the face of higher and higher rents and more and more noisy environment, are many artists who are not very rich and maverick willing to stay here? If there were no artists, would 798 still be 798? Can it still have unlimited creative vitality? The answer is yes, new york SOHO has nothing to do with art, but it is still a vibrant fashion district. Because artists are always marginal people, they will always guide and drive the trend. When the trend becomes the trend, they need to "retire".
Go back to the question I mentioned at the beginning of the article. 798 models are everywhere in China. Now Hangzhou has LOFT, Nanjing has Art Street, Kunming has Chuangku, and Shanghai has Suzhou River Art Warehouse. These places generally meet several characteristics of 798, but it is difficult for these places to have as many artists as Beijing 798, and it is difficult to attract more capital injection. Also, Beijing 798 was formed spontaneously, and most of these places (except Suzhou River Art Warehouse) were planned. Will this limit its creativity and make it difficult to have original vitality? I can't see it yet, but what is certain is that if the creative industry also operates in a mode, it can only be said that there is no creativity. www.798as.com/
The model is to "care for the elderly and build a garden", transforming abandoned industrial workshops, storage land and unfinished buildings into creative industries; Taikoo Cang and Osaka Cang, which bear the history of Guangzhou's opening for a hundred years, should be transformed into Guangzhou's "798 Art Factory".