50 Moganshan Road or "
M50" is a
contemporary art district in
Shanghai, China, that houses a thriving community of more than a hundred artists whose studios are open to
the public. It is often compared with
New York's SoHo and Beijing's
798 Art Zone. 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.
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.
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. 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.
M50 hosts over 120 galleries and art studios. Some of Shanghai's best known artists work here, including
Zhou Tiehai, Ding Yi,
Yelan, and the
media art collective
Liu Dao.
Galleries include
ShanghART Gallery,
EastLink Gallery,
island6,
Pantocrator Gallery, and
Biz Art.
Transportation
The closest Shanghai
Metro station in the vicinity of M50 is
Jiangning Road Station, followed by
Zhongtan Road Station.
Gallery
