Brian Wallace, the director of Redgate Gallery talks about the earlier years - backpacking through China, his studies at university, and later group shows when there was no contemporary art scene, let alone a 798 in Beijing. He introduces Guan Wei, a Sydney based painter who is part of the Redgate stable and who has recently moved back to Beijing full-time.
The Bookworm is a bookstore/lending library/cafe with a regular free public program and is about 7 - 10 minutes walk from Redgate's downtown apartment in Tuanjehou Lu Bei Cao (past Century Plaza), where I stayed part of the time.
Lots of funky looking restaurants around the neighbourhood which I didn't dare go into as am a bonofide cheap-eats chick when traveling. The store itself (The Bookworm) is pretty cozy, though I must admit a bit of a Lawai(foreigner) hang-out. You can bring your laptop for free Wi-Fi while having coffee or browse through the pretty decent lending library for hours without anyone minding. :D
Think coffee's set me back about 25 RMB & a 3 month membership to borrow books about 200+ RMB.
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