Gallery Weekend Beijing Returns, Highlights 798 and Other Capital Art Spots

If you’re looking for an excuse to see a whole bunch of Beijing art shows in one go, now’s your chance with the return of Gallery Weekend Beijing.

Now in its eighth year, GWBJ is a weeklong celebration of the city’s contemporary arts, held throughout various galleries in Beijing’s 798 Arts District.

Once again, and for the second year in a row, the event expands its scope from 798 to other art areas in the city, namely Caochangdi and galleries in Shunyi. Along with this, young artists are in the spotlight in “Up & Coming” exhibitions, many of which focus on current international issues and explore media art.

These exhibitions, along with a few collections and group exhibitions, all tie in with this year’s theme of Drift to Re-turn: delving into the journeys of Chinese artists abroad and back home, highlighting their exploration and reinterpretation of classic art expression.

Other activities during the week include the 798 Art Olympics, a special project looking at the connection between sports and culture in the lead up to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. Interestingly enough, the activity focuses on poetry, being an extension of artist Qiu Zhijie’s “International Children’s Poetry Project.”

Gallery Weekend Beijing 2024 is happening from Tuesday, May 28 ‘til Sunday, Jun 2, with VIP days scheduled the weekend prior, May 25-26 (exhibitions will be closed on Monday, May 27). For more details, follow GWBJ on WeChat (ID: gh_633aa0def075)

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Images courtesy of 798 Arts District