Easy Xmas Shopping at The Gift Charity Bazaar

I always feel so much pressure to bring back home unique, one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts that are personal, practical and something my friends and family can’t purchase in the US.  And I’m pretty sure my fellow Beijingers can relate to me when I say it’s an added pressure I try to avoid until the last possible moment each year before I go home for the holidays.

Granted the Silk Market does offer a million and one things, but the hassle of digging through all the useless crap and the hassle of haggling over prices is a huge turn-off for me, which is why I am so excited about The Gift Charity Bazaar this Sunday, November 20 at The Canadian International School.

Organized by Stage One Productions, this will be their third annual charity gift bazaar (last year brought over 1,100 visitors) and this year shoppers will be able to choose from a range of items displayed by over 50 vendors from around Beijing with vendors all donating at least 10% of all proceeds to helping to support several local charities including The Starfish Project, Care for Children, Bread of Life Bakery, Compassion for Migrant Children, Shepherd’s Field Children’s Village and Bethel.

Some goodies you can look forward to being on sale:

• Ceramics by 798’s Soul Collection
• Affordable Art
• Jewelry by The Starfish Project
• Beijing-inspired Christmas cards 
• Paper Tiger gift wrapping 

In addition to all these local vendors selling entirely unique products, the event will also be featuring live music by Avodah and Eluvia, plenty of food courtesy of Home Plate BBQ, Punjabi Indian Restaurant and sweets by Bread of Life Bakery.

Artists Stephen Gleadow and Zhang Jianbo from the artist’s movement and book TheUrbanity Project, will also be on hand to sign copies and discuss their artwork.

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, November 20
• Time: 11AM-4PM
• Ticket: RMB 10 Entrance
• Location: Canadian International School
• Address: 38 Liangmaqiao Lu, Liangmaqiao, Chaoyang district  朝阳区亮马桥路38号
• Website: www.cisb.com.cn/

AAB: Browse and Shop for New Artwork Online

Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) has launched new artwork by popular artists like Cui Jun, Guo Hongjie and Zhang Yuanfeng.

Browse new artwork here.

About Affordable Art Beijing (AAB): 

Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) was founded in 2006 and since its inception has grown to become one of the most important art events in the region.

AAB holds events and sells art work online to allow art lovers take home an original piece of contemporary art and also gives artists a platform to exhibit their work. With works selling from just a few hundred RMB, AAB has something for everyone’s style and budget.

LumDimSum 1-on-1 with Mr. AAB: Tom Pattinson

“Buying your first artwork is a bit like a first tattoo or first hit of smack.”

- Tom Pattinson, AAB Founder & Director

Affordable Art Beijing 2011 is upon us with doors opening this weekend for 2 FULL days of non-stop art mania.

From 10AM on May 14 until 6PM on May 15, there will be around 900 works of original Chinese contemporary art for sale.  From small prints to large oil paintings, hand-painted sculptures and photography, each piece of art has been hand-picked from the 12,000 works that were originally submitted.

With a wide range of emerging Chinese artists, styles and price (from as little as RMB 200 to a maximum cap of RMB 20,000), there is something for everyone.

“I personally am very excited this year as the quality of work is truly exceptional and I’m going to be very jealous of many people who snap up some beautiful works.”

Whether you are an avid art collector, someone curious in the development of emerging Chinese artists or just out for a fun day of “window shopping” for art, stop by AAB this weekend and who knows, maybe something will catch your eye and you may even catch the art-bug!

Six years strong, AAB Founder and Director Tom Pattinson gives LumDimSum the inside scoop to how AAB first came about, how it’s influenced China’s art world and why he’d rather spend money on buying a piece of art over going on a holiday trip!

Name:  Tom Pattinson

Age:  32

Nationality:  British

Occupation: AAB Director / Media man

Company Name: Affordable Art Beijing / Bespoke Beijing

Years in Beijing:  nearly 9 in total

LumDimSum Goes 1-on-1 with Mr. AAB, Tom Pattinson

LDS: As the founder of AAB, what inspired you to start your own art fair in Beijing? How did AAB first come about?

I’ve always had a passion for art and when I moved back to Beijing in 2005 found myself getting very much into the contemporary Chinese art scene. At the time my office was in 798 and we’d see some incredible art on a daily basis but it was mostly out of my price range at the time. For Valentines Day in 2006, I bought my girlfriend a painting from a friend who had a gallery specializing in emerging artists and it went from there. I realised that there were affordable artists out there and there were obviously more people like me who were keen on starting a collection but with a limited budget. Two months after Valentines Day we held the first AAB in 798.

LDS: Since it’s beginnings to today, how do you think AAB has impacted the art industry/culture in China?

Before AAB there was very little in the way of an emerging art market in China. Galleries and events very much focused on the more established artists. However, I think AAB has really helped create a new market for emerging and mid-level artists and have proved that this can be done. There are many galleries and also the major art fairs also have introduced more affordable sections which benefits not just those artists but helps deepen the art market in China as a whole. We now really have a bottom-up art market in China rather than just a top down market.

LDS: As with the start of any new venture, I’m sure there have been many obstacles and unforeseen nuances along with unexpected rewards. What have been the most absurd challenges and what has been the most rewarding aspect of AAB?

There was a time where people thought selling affordable art was a stupid idea, a lot of galleries and art experts were not that sold on the idea and even artists weren’t too sure but after the success of the first few years a lot of people wanted to be involved.

The main challenges are generally those with putting on a major event in China – agreements, partners, prices – all can suddenly change for no reason and costs can spiral out of control.  We’ve also had a lot of people, companies and organizations from across China pretending to be us. I’m pleased that now after 6 years there are many galleries and events that focus on emerging artists and affordable art because this benefits everyone – both the buyers and the artists – but we’ve had people pretending they are us and selling low quality work at high prices which obviously could affect our reputation.

For me, the most rewarding aspects are getting to know some incredibly talented artists and seeing their careers progress. Of course good artists will always do well but I like to think that AAB gives them a step up on to that ladder of career artists.

LDS: When did you first develop an interest for art?

My mother has always been artistic and taught art – she still paints and teaches art today – and we used to go painting together from a very young age. I did art at GCSE and A-Level at school and was considering studying fine art at art school – but ultimately I’m not talented enough to be an artist. But art has always been a part of my life, if not as an artist then as an art lover at least.

LDS: Would you consider yourself an avid art collector?

Buying your first artwork is a bit like a first tattoo or first hit of smack. It does become addictive and you realise how you spend money changes. If it’s a choice between an art work and a holiday then the holiday might be put on hold for a while. I buy works because I like the look of them or they make me laugh or because I like the artist or because they’ll fit in the right corner of my house but not really because I think they’re going to be valuable. I now try to have an annual art budget, which I will spend on art but no more otherwise it can get a bit silly.

LDS: What are three attributes of a great artist?

An original style, an idea that is relevant and new technique/skill.

LDS: In your expert opinion, what does it mean to be an artist?

I’d firstly certainly not call myself an expert there are a great many experts in this city of which I would not class myself as one. But I think anyone can be an artist. An artist is someone who expresses themselves, their thoughts, their views on society or their own lives. This can be through music, writing, art or any other number of mediums. An artist should be able to express a point, make a statement or capture a moment – a feeling – and translate it to appeal to a wider audience.

LDS: Who is currently your favorite artist of all time and why?

My favourite artist is normally the artist whose work I have just bought or a great show I’ve just seen so it could be any number of artists. I’ve got a big thing for Kong Lingnan right now. I did a show with her before Christmas last year and she’s showing at the UCCA at the moment. She’s also a lovely person as well as a great artist!

LDS: What kind of art do you proudly display on the walls of your home?

I’ve got a weird mix of things I’ve picked up over the last five or six years. I have a Shengqi painting, a LED work from Island 6 and an excellent collage from Gongka all in our living room, but pride of place in our house is a work we’ve dubbed “the Big Baby”, by a young artists called Guo Hongjie.

LDS: Is there any kind of art you shamefully admit to have a weakness for?

I’m currently into dark humour works. Things that are a bit cheeky, a bit dark and a bit evil. Not sure if that says something about my current stage of mind but I think I like the fact that some of these young artists are producing light-hearted works that have a bit of an edge to them rather than a lot of sappy nonsense we’re often forced to suffer.

LDS: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and particularly with Chinese contemporary art, how do you gauge what pieces are worthy of making it as a participating piece in AAB?

Good question. It’s partly experience of knowing what is popular and what will sell to our audience, it’s partly what I personally like and it’s also a bit of luck. We had around 1,000 artists apply to take part this year, which made it much harder to pick out the best artists. There are three or four in our team and we all look through them together. There are at least three rounds of checking before we make a final decision. Some artists are easy to pick, some are also easy to reject but there are many who are stuck in the middle and it’s difficult to decide whether it is excellent or just very average.

Over 2 months, nearly 15,000 art works, three or four rounds of selection we finally manage to pick out our favourite 1,000 art works.

LDS: How will this year be different from past AAB fairs?

We’ve increased the maximum price from 10,000 RMB to 20,000 RMB – this is mainly to ensure we can retain some of the best quality art work in the emerging art market. 10,000 RMB six years ago used to go a lot further than it does today.

LDS: Which artists are you most excited about this year?

There are dozens of them that I have my eye on but we have picked Yang Rui as our poster girl this year – I’m a big fan.

LDS: Have there been one or two artists who have consistently sold the most pieces?

Chen Yu’s laquered flowers are always very popular and so is Ma Weihong’s Cultural Revolution inspired works are too. Both sell very well and prices are still reasonable, although creeping up year on year.

LDS: What is the most unexpected/ridiculous art purchase you have witnessed at one of AAB’s art fairs?

A couple of years ago we had a huge sculpture work made up of six human-sized feline-faced sculptures. They were pretty scary and not something I’d have in the corner of my house. These huge monsters stood in the corner of the venue for the weekend glaring out and I thought that no one would be interested in them. But then someone bought the whole lot and shipped them off to a restaurant in Germany. It’s then you realise that actually there really is something for everyone at AAB.

LDS: What is the ratio of newbie artists vs. AAB artist veterans?

75% new I would estimate. Many of our artists grow beyond us, which is great, so we always have to find new talent.

LDS: What is the ratio of art pieces you genuinely like vs. pieces you select for the general public?

The vast majority I actually like. There are a small fraction that aren’t as suitable to my tastes but this is because my tastes are permanently changing and evolving. But I want to make sure that there is something not just for everyone’s budget but also for everyone’s taste too.

LDS: About how many people do you expect to rush through this 2 day fair?  And what percentage of these people will actually purchase an art piece?

I hope to see up to about 8,000 people come through over the 2 days. I would expect about 4oo people to buy works so that’s only a small percentage. But it’s not just about the sales. It’s great for visitors to see that art doesn’t have to be expensive or exclusive but something they might be able to afford. It’s also great for the public to interact with the artists who are often present and just have a fun day out.

Thousands turned up last year with a massive line outside, selling an average of 2 pieces per minute in the first few hours of the fair. This year, be smart, get there before the crowds and do your research ahead of time!

LDS: You like to cook, if AAB was a dish, what would it be?

A nice, fresh bouillabaisse – nice and exotic with fresh and high quality ingredients, but can never really be made the same way twice.

LDS: Of all the places in the world, why have you chosen Beijing as your home?

It’s about as different as you can get from suburban UK and there is so much to do here.

Every day I think of a new idea, a new thing I’d like to do and to be involved in the creative industries and art world is wonderful. We really are in a place and time that we’ll be able to look back on in years to come and say  “I was a part of that”.

LDS: Top 3 Dining Destinations in Beijing?

Dali Courtyard – a great, affordable and easy option for impressing out-of-town visitors

Chuan’r man on Babaokeng hutong – best chuan’r, still 1 RMB a stick and he’s right outside our office!

Agua – for good lunch with a nice bottle of wine.

LDS: Top 3 Drinking Destinations in Beijing?

Salud – for late night drinking – never remember leaving that place

Mesh – for after work meetings and great cocktails

Migas Rooftop – for the summer at least (D-lounge for the winter)

*For a taste of the range of artwork you can expect to see this coming weekend, click here for previous LumDimSum Article: AAB’s 6th Annual Art Fair

LumDimSum Super Sweepstakes:

Get on the invite-only guest list for AAB’s VIP Preview Party on Friday, May 13. All of the art will be on display and these guests get first dibs!  LumDimSum is giving away 4 pairs of tickets, email me directly for your chance to win! kristen@lumdimsum.com

AAB Art Fair 2011 Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, May 14 – Sunday, May 15
• Time: 10AM-6PM
• Location: 798 Art Space in 798 Art District (see below for map)
• Website: www.affordableartbeijing.com

Save the Date: AAB’s 6th Annual Art Fair

Affordable Art Beijing (AAB)’s 6th Annual Art Fair is officially set for Saturday and Sunday, May 14-15, 2011 in The 798 Space in the center of Beijing’s 798 Art District.

The most highly anticipated art fair of the year, AAB has hand-picked over 1,000 works of original Chinese contemporary art.  From small prints to large oil paintings, hand painted sculptures and photography, all pieces will be on sale from a few hundred RMB up to a maximum price of RMB 20,000.

“We’ve already received twice as many artist applications as last year which means we’ve got a lot more quality art to pick from. Out of the 5,000 works of art which have been submitted to us, we will show less than 1,000.  This year we’ve really focused on seeking out the highest quality of art available and we think we’ve found some real gems. It takes all year of visiting art schools, artist villages and studios to pick out the works we think are the best value available.”

– Tom Pattinson, AAB Founder

Working together with new talent and established artists all around China, AAB’s Art Fair is the largest of its kind in China and many of its featured artists have gone on to international acclaim and significant success.

A Selection of Artworks to be Featured at AAB’s 6th Annual Art Fair

For a chance to get a sneak preview of a few select pieces of artwork, AAB is teaming up with JUE Music + Art Festival for a lively evening of BBQ + Beers this Friday, March 25 at their beautiful hutong courtyard space.  More details here.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15
• Time:  10AM-6PM
• Location: The 798 Space
• Address: Ceramic 3 St. 798 Road, 798 Art District, 4. Jiuxianqiao Road, Beijing.
• Website: www.affordableartbeijing.com

AAB + JUE = BBQ Chuar & Beer

As the weather heats up, Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) kicks off the first of their series of summer office parties with JUE (觉) Music & Art Festival.

This coming weekend – Friday & Saturday, March 25 & 26 - AAB will be opening their doors for an early preview of their annual spring art fair.

With the backdrop of a beautiful hutong courtyard, AAB will showcase a selection of art work from this year’s AAB event.  Guaranteed to be a jolly good time, come out for BBQ ch’uar and beers on Friday March 25^th and check out some art while meeting some fun friends along the way.

The following day, Saturday, March 26 will be another window of opportunity for interested art collectors to view/purchase art work before it hits the masses in mid-May.  Doors will be open to the public from 12noon to 6PM.

Event Details:

• Date: Friday & Saturday, March 25 & 26
• Time:  Friday, March 25 – 6:00PM- onwards; Saturday, March 26: 12PM-6PM
• Location: AAB/Bespoke/Outdustry Office HQ
• Address: 6 Babaokeng Hutong, Beixinqiao, Dongcheng district, Beijing Google Map
• Website: www.affordableartbeijing.com

AAB/Bespoke/Outdustry HQ

About Affordable Art Beijing (AAB):

Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) was founded in 2006 and since its inception has grown to become one of the most important art events in the region.

AAB holds events and sells art work online to allow art lovers take home an original piece of contemporary art and also gives artists a platform to exhibit their work. With works selling from just a few hundred RMB, AAB has something for everyone’s style and budget.

AAB’s New Art Exhibition Opening

Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) will be hosting an exhibition opening of the latest art gallery at Langham Place this Friday, December 10 from 6:00PM-8:00PM.

AAB Founder and Director Tom Pattinson has brought together a unique range of paintings, sculptures and prints by artists such as Kong Lingnan, Han Feng, Wang Kaifang, Zhang Lun, Chen Linggang and Kevin Chu.

A taste of what you can expect:

Kong Lingnan‘s signature neon interpretations of China’s “Twenty-Eight Mansions” constellation system

Join this celebration together with this whole new set of gifted artists for a unique opportunity to meet the talent behind this beautiful masterpieces.

Event details:

• Date: Friday, December 10
• Time: 6:00PM-8:00PM
• Location: Life Gallery @ Langham Place
• Address: 1 Er Jing Road, Terminal 3 Capital Airport
• 北京首都机场朗豪酒店 中国北京首都国际机场 三号航站楼二经路1号
• Tel: 6457 5555
• Website: www.affordableartbeijing.com

Up Close and Personal with AAB’s Talented Artists

Last Thursday, Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) hosted an engaging and interactive art event with three of their most popular artists.

Organized by AAB Founder and Director Tom Pattinson at their newest exhibition at Langham Place Hotel (by T3 airport), AAB favorite Liu Aijing gave a demonstration of her artwork, revealing the complexities behind each step of her process, explaining how she creates intricate gold, silver and bronze layers beneath the watercolor in her artwork.

Following this fascinating demonstration, both Chen Yu and Hua Jiming spoke to audiences about their background, their artwork’s inspirations and greatest challenges along with an introduction to their newest projects.

Overall, the event had a pretty decent turn-out considering the venue is out by T3 Capital Airport, and the intimate sessions with such remarkably talented artists made this event definitely worth the journey.

I encourage anyone who finds themselves with extra time to spare before or after a trip to the capital airport to stop by Langham Place and check out their gallery by Affordable Art Beijing. This particular exhibition will be on display until the end of November, after which will present a new exhibition by AAB’s top artists.

If you are interested in some of the particular art pieces in this exhibition, you can contact AAB Founder Tom Pattinson directly – tom@affordableartbeijing.com.

To check out more contemporary art, you can browse local artists on AAB’s website here.

LumDimSum Snapshots of AAB’s Exhibition at Langham Place:

Meet AAB’s Star Artists at Langham Place

Join Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) in celebrating their most recent art exhibition showcasing AAB’s start artists this Thursday, October 14 from 5:00PM-8:00PM at Langham Place Hotel (T3 Capital Airport).

AAB Founder and Director Tom Pattinson has brought together three of AAB’s most popular artists to talk about and demonstrate their work at this newly opened gallery. Chen Yu and Hua Jiming (both sold out at AAB2010) will be engaging in an interactive discussion their works and one of AAB’s long favorite artist, Liu Aijing, will be demonstrating how she creates her intricate gold leaf and watercolour works.

Other exhibition artists include AAB2010 poster boy Dong Yan with his unforgettable bold yellow images, Liu Zhonghua with his dragon series and sculpture artists Guo Qipeng and Li Fenfei.

Celebration will include wine and canapes at this exclusive AAB event from 5pm onwards.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, October 14
• Time: 5:00PM
• Location: Life Gallery at Langham Place
• Address:  Beijing Capital Airport No. 1 Er Jing Road, Terminal 3, Capital International Airport
• 北京首都机场朗豪酒店 中国北京首都国际机场 三号航站楼二经路1号

• www.affordableartbeijing.com

About Affordable Art Beijing (AAB):

Affordable Art Beijing (AAB) was founded in 2006 and since its inception has grown to become one of the most important art events in the region.

AAB holds events and sells art work online to allow art lovers take home an original piece of contemporary art and also gives artists a platform to exhibit their work. With works selling from just a few hundred RMB, AAB has something for everyone’s style and budget.

Stock Up on Affordable Art

The major annual art event, Affordable Art Beijing 2010 will be showcased in The Orange in the Sanlitun Village.

For one weekend only, art lovers have an opportunity to stock up on an extensive range of paintings, sculpture, prints and photographs from just a few hundred RMB up to a max of RMB 10,000.

Art pieces will be rotated with new pieces showcased as soon as one sells, so the stock of artwork will be continuously replenished throughout the weekend.

Note: Purchases will be cash only with a 20% deposit to secure a work and the full payment must be received before 6pm on Sunday 25th April 2010.