It hasn't changed much, although it is growing quite fast! There are hundreds of small galleries, with exhibitions by international artists such as Antony Gormley and Martin Parr (of whom, incidentally, I have become a big fan, since seeing his video "Think of England" which was possibly more funny because I watched it c. 15 years on and from so far away... but still!) and modern Chinese artists, many of whom make political statements in their art.
Ai Wei Wei had an interesting exhibition on, in which he explores China's relationship with the world in terms of trade (this world is made out of stacks of sheets of cotton), for example, and the notion of the individual vs. the collective, which has obvious connotations in a Communist society.
The buildings in and around 798 are a little reminiscent of Shoreditch, and the whole area has an East London vibe. I particularly like this huge and interesting old warehouse, complete with Communist slogans, in which exhibitions are put on:
There is generally a nice mix of sculpture, photography and paintings, and the surrounding streets come complete with their own unusual items...:
It even encouraged Ben's artistic flair:
Canon photography exhibition - fabulous pics of China, here are just a few of my faves. Thanks Canon!
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