Beijing, China was a very surreal and a super inspirational experience.
From a personal perspective it was enlightening and of course completely rejuvenating. I went from feeling blue to the Rising Red.
I suspect I will create some of my life’s best work based on my immersion into Chinese Culture and Life.
Artistically, Professionally, and Personally, China was the most fun I have had – prolly in my whole life. It was like being on an old skool adventure but at the same time completely within the bounds of safety and security. At no time did I feel concerned for my well being – actually that is a lie – I felt scared crossing the streets cause there is no rhyme or reason to the motion of bicycles, people, cars, taxis, buses etc. Most of my Chinese friends laffed at me for that.
The movement, the smells, the pollution, the bicycles and weird contraptions, the people, the food, the little steps – all of it was really inspirational and I will forever hold this as a pleasant memory.
Artistically, it was interesting to see that the Chinese appreciated my artwork in its unfinished state – raw, and leaving much to the imagination. I sold one piece while I was sitting and working on it in Fei Space and a wealthy woman from HK looking over my shoulder asked how much for the piece as is. Which was weird because it was not finished. I ended up doing drawings for her rather than selling her something I was not ready to part with and she was happy with that alternative. I also met with some of the coolest cats in China, partied like a rock star in penthouse apartments with retractable roofs and saw an orange lamborghini with swarovski crystal wheels – no kidding.
Professionally, I learned more about the art world, how it operates and why people collect art. I totally understand now the misconnection between artist and collector – because it is really a personal story between both sides from their own perspective. A collector might buy a piece because he “collects the number “8″” or “likes the color blue” or “has a thing for gas masks” whereas the artist creates the work because “he needs to tell a story, a dialogue, or show a picture”. The misconnection is funny and now so clear to me. The collector wants to make his/her own connection with the piece while the artist typically wants to impose his/her view onto those that take the time to look at the art. Ambiguous open ended art is therefore better – leaving multiple forms of interpretation and analysis. Good lesson to learn!
The art crowd in Beijing was very supportive, tight knit group of truly interesting characters and I could spend a lifetime talking to all of them in depth about nothing and everything.
Overall the experience was super amazing. I thank my lucky stars for letting me experience China in 2009 – it is an ever changing society and by this time next year much will have changed just as much has already changed. Overall the Chinese people are kind, friendly, welcoming, and quite beautiful.
Here are all the pictures from the travels
Just something so neat, perfect, beautiful about this image to me anyways.
Out the back of a taxi crossing the bridge, this building is exceptional. Ironically, the building next door to it burned down during Chinese New Year and is unable to be torn down because it shares the same foundations as this building which would result it in toppeling over!
Know who this is?
Art District 798 side street. So perfectly surreal – you would never think that big industry lurks beneath the surface and used to manufacture arms!
That’s a taxidermied dog positioned like he is playing tennis with his balls hanging out. Aunia Kahn would have a heart attack! But you know what? This dog looks happy and in China there are almost no boundaries on artistic expression.
I thought perhaps this bird cage was for the Moa…
Lots and Lots of bicycles.
I ate far too many times in this place. It’s the same rubbish as here but they do have this one sandwich which is really yummy – like a boneless chicken sandwich with I think teriyaki sauce or something soy based. Also they are assholes about giving you a refill on soda – something I cannot forgive! argh!
Another place I ate at far too much – except this time I can only say good things about the food here. It was NIIIIIIIICE. $14 USD feeds like 5 people and they stretch the noodles out in front of you. The food quality was great all round and better than Mcccc’D’s.
Don’t know what it says but is says “CUTE” in my language.
Always totally amazed at the sheer number in any given work force. Any given project just has HUNDREDS of workers on board building, doing, fixing, and making. Quite phenomenal.
SURFACE Magazine headquarters where I spent a good deal of time on my photoshoot for their November Issue and also otherwise hung out with a cool crew. That’s Vivienne in the background. She rocked my ORGAN DONORS at the opening. Xiaowei and SanPig also from this organization and I gotta a LOOOOT of LOVE for these folks.
This is outside the framing shop that took care of all my frames for the Fei Space opening. Totally surreal right? I mean they are literally building steel something right outside this amazing framing shop.
Scary looking guard dogs protect the framers cause they are in a rural part of Beijing.
Inside the most professional framers I have ever seen. These guys are AMAZING. I mean truly amazing. If anyone wants perfect frames, custom and a perfect job let me know and I will try and find their information. No English but really cool and I had the opportunity of experiencing a real tea ceremony with the owner of this framer. He is a professional photographer and very accomplished and we drank tea together while we negotiated price and otherwise smiled at each other.
Laying out the pieces and selecting frames etc.
Owner of framing shop rocks this old skool Jeep and it is pimped out with spotlights and roof rack etc. He was kind enough to drive me back to civilisation where I could find a taxi or the subway.
Ge-Mur means “good buddy” and that’s how I felt about this guy after we hung out for the afternoon in his framing shop getting things sorted. So long see ya next time.
Bye bro…
In a taxi, out to party, night fall, drinks time!
only bad thing is… the toilets kinda suck. this is what u call a squatter. 
enjoy!
McD’s delivers!
I really did become obsessed with their bicycles.
Night Market = FUN
eat it b*tch!
They also had sheep penis as a delicacy and apparently it does amazing things for your manhood – which left me wondering what happens if a woman was to eat it!
best food i ever eaten – it’s called Hot Pot!
it’s raw, but about to be dipped in Hot Pot! and cooked and eaten!
This was amazing, it’s like a bun and then you dip it in this white chocolate condensed milk sauce. I only had this one time but it was quite possibly the best I dont know what I ever eaten. It’s all part of the Hot Pot experience.
This is the HOT POT. So on the right is the sweet sauce and on the left is the hot sauce and you dip the raw, thin slices of meat into the pot and cook it and then eat it. And you do this with Tofu, all kinds of meat, vegetables, fish balls, etc.
I got me some fans. These kids were really sweet. And also I want to note the Nestea bottle in my hands. I drank so much of this tea it was really tasty. I think it had aloe in it or something like soap. It was so yummy. I think it was green tea maybe.
Pollution… and that is the sun!
These are my mascots and these are the guys that wore my mascot uniforms. As you can see here we have the EYEBALL and the WHITE BLOOD CELL. Pretty Cool aye?
These two guys won the naming competition for the SUPER RARE KIDNEY. It is called ONE SOUL. Congrats guys and thank you Yoka.com
David Foox Solo Show at Fei Space was sponsored by Tiger Beer. Yaye GOOOOO Tiger!
That’s Noki on the right and on left is my translator and PR guy. He is telling the audience about how and why I create and what I got going on artistically etc. He really could have been saying anything, but every so often the crowd would laugh or clap and I would smile. What else can you do?
I really enjoyed China. I can’t say it enough. I miss it very dearly.
It was Halloween, can you guess who I am standing next to? (hence the serious face)
Kinda like a f*cked up looking A-Team Truck
Me with painting wrapped up about to head out to Chi Choi Ba (798 Art District) for the day.
Just so beautiful.
More pics to come…
I hope to be back in China soon, it’s in my blood now and I want more. Special thanks to Ariane, Sarah, Thomas Fred, Youling, SanPig, John Lee, May, Austin Powers, Beijing Ray, Mark Chunyang Belle & Alex, Joe DK Choo, Shannon and her man, Xiaowei Hu of SURFACE, Juliette McCawley, Lea Chen, Harlem, No.8, No.223, Lin Jing, Vivienne, Chen Zheng, Fei Space, Coco, Michaela, Jinpeng, Xie Dong, Giorgio Magistrelli, Flora and Fiona, David Ben Kay, Tom’s Video, Chunmin Liang, Dr Mohamed Sahbi Basly, Ben McMillan, Fabien Fryns, Shasha Liu, Wang Xie, Lucy Lu, Holiland Bakery, Sunny, Noki, Nick May, Victor Huelamo, Henri Stephan Benaim, Megan Connolly of Chart Contemporary, Matthias, Deborah Pauwaert, Martin Wehmer, Madeleine of the Beijinger, Bright Wei, Madame Figaro, Miriam, Yaohui, Segolene, Julie, gorgeous Vida, Deror Sultan, Daniele Brombal, Fei Life, Charley Kan, Gautier Chen, Lin, Dawn, Harley, the UCCA, and of course Baron Guy Ullens. (this list is amendable). SEE YOU ALL SO SOON. MUAH. David Foox.
