After weeks of discreet construction, the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art opened its doors Monday in Beijing’s rejuvenated Dashanzi art district. As Beijing has become the focal point of the global art scene in recent years, the Ullens Center, or UCCA will be ground zero for some of the world’s most sought after exhibits. It has been rumored in the past few years that the Dashanzi district, also known as “798″ would be demolished and transformed into new commercial properties but as a Bloomberg story Monday points out, the UCCA will breathe new life into an old art neighborhood desperately in need of resuscitation. According to Beijing art critic Karen Smith:
Models of the new UCCA, designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte in partnership with Shanghai-based Ma Qingyun, had been displayed in an adjacent space, now incorporated into the museum. They did not do justice to the scale of the completed interior, nor the fine balance between the retained “Bauhaus-style” elements and the stark, minimalist environment that has been introduced…The interior is cavernous and, despite the coolness of its blinding white skin, is immediately a visitor-friendly place.
The inaugural exhibit is entitled “‘85 New Wave,” which sounds more like the label of an old mix tape than an exhibit composed of China’s brightest post-Cultural Revolution artists. Subtitled “The Birth of Contemporary Chinese Art,” ‘85 New Wave showcases the seminal pieces from this reactive period by artists such as Zhang Xiaogang, Huang Yongping and Fei Dawei. The ‘85 New Wave exhibit runs through February 17. An adult ticket costs 30 RMB.
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