The M50 Arts District in Shanghai is a living, breathing uber cool place where contemporary art exists with thought and excitement. Located on 50 Moganshan Road in the Putuo District in Shanghai, alongside Suzhou Creek, it’s a little bit of an adventure to find if you’ve never been. In fact, many local Shanghainese don’t even know it exists nor have they ever heard of it. Even so, it doesn’t diminish the creative endeavors that are going on here.
As you enter the old factories and industrial spaces, you may feel slightly intimidated and question whether you should even be in some of the spaces. But, go and explore! The artists that live and work here welcome your quest and hopefully can make some sales along the way to support their livelihood.
There is a wide variety of art happening, from abstract neon sculpture to more traditional Chinese Landscape painting as well as everything in between. There is an excitement and hum to this place as you will feel that you are on the cusp of great discovery and may see the next Ai Weiwei in action. If you feel the desire to take up photography or want to learn how to create jewelry, you can even find patient teachers here with a whole classroom schedule awaiting your own self exploration and growth.
As fast as the Shanghai skyline changes, so do the galleries and the work. So, visiting M50 once is never quite enough. We have been numerous times and it never gets boring. Explore the sides streets as well and check out the amazing graffiti walls where free art and free thought reigns king…
Check out the site for more info:
M50 Branding Website – http://www.m50.com.cn/en/
LOCAL | yetnot 