October 17, 2009 Art day in Beijing.

Today was amazing. A bit overwhelming but amazing. I sit here in my hotel. I am feeling a bit relieved that it went so well. I can’t give enough thanks to Megan Connolly and her sister KC. Today was awesome. I am sitting here looking out my window and Beijing spreads before me like a blanket of lights and I’m not quiet sure what to feel. I was really overwhelmed by Seoul. I think that was due to the fact that I did it on my own. I navigated it alone and it often felt like I was the outsider. People were certainly friendly but there was never any engagement and I ultimately felt that I was never truly caught up in the scene. To a certain degree I have resisted Beijing. And a lot of the reason is that this is the place. It is where things are happening and I do understand just how complicated that statement is. There were many moments today where we all made the analogy to Chelsea and how the art neighborhoods here have been co-opted by the government. There is recognition on the part of the government that art is good business. In the run up to the Olympics the entire 798 district was transformed. Streets were paved and where there used to be “mom and pop” art galleries now stands a giant car park. 798 is more like an art Disneyland than anything else. While there are some major galleries here a lot of the spaces have become little tourist shops and cafes. It is weird. There are some great spaces here that are showing interesting work but you really have to dig for them.