GRAFFITI : CHINA

Book excerpt: China is a contradictory place. Authoritarian laws and no vote, coexisting with a lack of smoking/alcohol rules and zero observable traffic or safety laws. The graffiti laws in the West has artists doing time in prison while in China the harshest penalty is less than $100. The graffiti scene in China is small and the best work is confined to semi-sanctioned areas, often set in rusting industrial areas. For the small size of the scene, a huge amount of incredible art packs these tiny plots of land. The photos in this book were taken between Spring of 2013 and Spring of 2014. All of the photos in Beijing were taken in and around 798 Art Zone in the Chaoyang District of the city. This spot of refurbished military factories has been transformed into an arts district that contains many art galleries, studios, shops and schools. The photos in the Shanghai set were taken in the 50 Moganshan Lu area near Suzhou Creek. This area used to be home to many factories and warehouses that have since been converted to art galleries, studios and cafes. The graffiti wall pictured has since been demolished to make way for a business district.