I had been working in Shatin area for more than 4 years, this is my very first time to visit “Fotanian: Fotan Artists open studios”. This exhibition is on its sixth annual, located in one of the Shatin industrial building.
Similiar gestation of the successful Beijing 798 Art Zone started by professors and students of China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), Fo Tan studios were started by the art students of art department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Sharing a very simulate idea, the young artists were looking for low rent work space as art studio. Soon after, artists share similar thoughts move in and an art zone in an industrial area was born...
It is a unique blend of industrial and arts in the community of Fotan industrial area: fast food road side café, local corner store, automobile service centre, warehouse, showroom, food manufactory, light industry factory, artist studio, and gallery, an art fusion of its own.
The industrial building looks battered but many units are still in business. Some workers were working through corridor while visitors walk around the studios. This is real and a living experimental setting, involved art community and normal every day working class. I recall a similar experience in Beijing 798 Art Zone, there are also factories still operating along with the art studios that live within the industrial area.
Some observed in this event:- A participant friend of mine told me the landlord (Sino group) expenses of all promotion materials this year.
- Some art studios are hiding themselves away – not listed on the building’s unit directory.
- Since the other units are still in business. Scents of traditional Chinese barbecue from the food manufacture plant are a real bonus while visit these galleries...
- The quality of the art works present in this event are quite varies. Exhibition items ranging from top notch piece to less refined works.
The Blue Lotus gallery in one of the art studio that drawn my attention. The art works they feature in their gallery heavily involves traditional Chinese splash ink paint with a unique Le Corbusier kind of contemporized touch. Very unique and distinct fusion of those two form of art.
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