50 Moganshan Road () or "M50" is a

contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...

district in

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...

, China, that houses a community of more than a hundred artists whose studios are open to the public. It is often compared with New York's

SoHo Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develo ...

and Beijing's

798 Art Zone 798 Art Zone (), or Dashanzi Art District, is a complex of 50-year-old decommissioned military factory buildings boasting a unique architectural style that houses a thriving artistic community in Dashanzi, Chaoyang District, Beijing. The area is ...

.Shanghai SoHo--50 Moganshan Road
. The art quarter has become a popular cultural attraction for local and international visitors alike, and was named among the top ten things to do in Shanghai by ''

Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Ma ...

''.

Location

The name refers to its actual address in Shanghai, and is often shortened to M50 or Moganshan Road. It is tucked away in an old industrial area along the Suzhou Creek. The art quarter is located in industrial and residential Putuo District, but conveniently close to downtown

Jing'an District Jing'an District () is one of the central districts of Shanghai. In 2014, it had 1,180,000 inhabitants in an area of . The district borders the Hongkou District to the east, Huangpu District to the east and south, Putuo District to the west, ...

History

50 Moganshan Road was once the Chunming Slub Mill. The art scene was started in 2000 by local artist Xue Song who was initially attracted by the cheap rent of the disused industrial space. Other artists including Ding Yi, Qu Fengguo, and Wang Xingwei, soon followed.Shanghai’s Blossoming Arts District
. Today the quarter's former factories and warehouses have been converted into art galleries, artists’ studios, design agencies and other visual art and cultural businesses of various sizes. The land and buildings are still owned by Shangtex, the state-owned textile group that operated the now defunct factory.

Artists and galleries

M50 hosts over 120 galleries and art studios. Some of Shanghai's best known artists work here, including

Zhou Tiehai Zhou Tiehai (; born 1966) is a contemporary Chinese artist. Trained as a painter in his native Shanghai, Zhou co-founded Shanghai's first international art fair, SH Contemporary, in 2007, assumed the directorship of the Minsheng Art Museum in 2010, ...

, Ding Yi, Yelan, and the media art collective Liu Dao. Galleries include ShanghART Gallery, EastLink Gallery,

island6 Island6 Arts Center () is an artist-run space and creative platform established in Shanghai, China. It was founded in 2006 by French curator/artist Thomas Charvériat. With three branches in Shanghai, one in Hong Kong and one in Thailand, Island6 ...

, Pantocrator Gallery,Pantocrator Gallery
and Biz Art.

Transportation

The closest Shanghai Metro station in the vicinity of M50 is Jiangning Road Station (on Line 13), followed by Zhongtan Road Station (on Line 3 and Line 4).

Gallery

File:M50 Pathway.jpg, Outside Building 3, M50 File:Island6 m50ArtDistrict.jpg,

Island6 Island6 Arts Center () is an artist-run space and creative platform established in Shanghai, China. It was founded in 2006 by French curator/artist Thomas Charvériat. With three branches in Shanghai, one in Hong Kong and one in Thailand, Island6 ...

arts centre in the M50 art district. File:20091007 Graffiti Shanghai 7373.jpg, Graffiti art in the Moganshan Road area.

References

External links

88 MOCCA
– Museum of Chinese Contemporary Art
Art Scene China

SHANGHART
– largest gallery of the m50 Art District
island6 Arts Center
– artist-founded art space with a production site and an adjoining gallery
YelanArt
{{Shanghai 2000 establishments in China Tourist attractions in Shanghai Culture in Shanghai Arts districts Chinese art Putuo District, Shanghai