Chinese Contemporary Shuts up Shop in 798

News of yet another casualty of the financial crisis and 798’s soaring rents. Chinese Contemporary, one of Dashanzi’s landmark galleries, has closed its doors.

In its heyday Chinese Contemporary exhibited a range of top names from Zhang Xiaogang to Yue Minjun, but it has been a rather less starry place in recent years. Chinese Contemporary first opened its doors in London 13 years ago and went on to launch branches in 798 and in New York’s Chelsea. All three branches are now shuttered.

What turned out to be their swan song in Beijing was one of their best shows in a long time, Huang Rui’s “Comerchina”. Looked at in retrospect it seems a prescient choice, concerned as the show was with the dangers of commerce.