“Do You Hutong?” The answer from Beijingers was an affirmative “yes!” as more than 200 people travelled to Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, Caochangdi, on Saturday 17 July to support CHP’s major fundraising event of the year. There was a distinct buzz as people arrived to experience this uniquely creative event, and many of the attendees stayed for several hours to enjoy the diverse components of the evening.

Three Shadows, with its intrinsically Ai Weiwei-designed indoor and outdoor spaces, was a perfect venue to showcase the models and promote cultural heritage preservation in China. The 20 unique courtyard gate models were displayed in one of the main exhibition rooms. The model artworks were created by local and foreign Beijing artists, including Guo Jian, Lucy Young (Paper Tiger), Michel Sutyadi (NLGX Design), and Dominic Johnson-Hill (Plastered T-Shirts). The diverse range of materials, textures and final products highlighted the different views people have about hutongs and the complexities of cultural heritage. Themes included demolition, the beauty of hutongs, media in China and traditional architecture. Read more»

China Daily by Todd Balazovic, Monday 19 July

A elderly woman sifts through debris after a demolition near the Gulou area. Jonah M. Kessel / China Daily

Non-profit group says there is value to be cherished in the city’s hutongs

An art auction and exhibition showcasing Beijing’s dwindling hutong residences was held in the capital over the weekend.

The display of multimedia and sculptures was aimed at raising money for the Cultural Heritage Protection Center (CHP), a nongovernmental organization dedicated to protecting Beijing’s identity through preserving its cultural heritage.

Aptly named “Do You Hutong?” the fundraising event highlighted the gradual destruction of hutong residences in the capital, something CHP Founder and chairman He Shuzhong said is destroying the city’s cultural identity.

“It has been a long time since people have recognized the value of these hutong, a lot of people think of them as similar to old people, with little value left in them,” he said. Read more»

Global Times by Huang Shaojie, Monday 19 July

A public art event to benefit preservation of the city’s threatened cultural heritage gained more international support than local sympathy despite strenuous publicity efforts, an organiz-er admitted Sunday.

The Do You Hutong? fundraiser attracted more than 100 guests to the Caochangdi art quarter of Chaoyang district Saturday.

The “innovative art event” was expected to help Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center (CHP) kick off a new preservation project for sites of cultural significance in Beijing and across China.

But the Center still needs more support and understanding – especially from locals – CHP founder He Shuzhong said Sunday. Read more»

Have you noticed a buzz around Beijing recently? Have you been asked by other Beijingers if you hutong?  CHP’s major fundraising event Do You Hutong? is just around the corner on 17 July! That means there is only a short amount of time left to purchase your pre-sale tickets, and also submit your photos and comments about Old Beijing for the multi-media installment at the event.

Do You Hutong?

7pm-11pm, 17 July 2010

Three Shadows Photography Art Centre

Latest updates:

• How to register and purchase event tickets
• Submitting photos and comments about Old Beijing
• Live music headliner announced: Girls Are Waiting to Meet You
• Sneak peak of a finished hutong model
• Featured bio of participating artist, Guo Jian

How to buy your ticket to Do You Hutong?

Tickets are ¥150 in advance or ¥200 at the door and include an inaugural CHP annual membership.

You can purchase your ticket at:

CHP’s Office | Building E, No. 46 Fangjia Hutong, Andingmen

NLGX Design Store | No. 33 Nanluoguxiang

This is a private event. Register by emailing events.chp@gmail.com or calling 64034932.

Submit your photos and comments about Old Beijing

We are looking for people’s photos and thoughts of Old Beijing to include in a multi-media installment at the event, and also to place on the www.doyouhutong.com event micro site. Please submit your photos or comments (25 words and less) to events.chp@gmail.com

Live music headliner: Girls Are Waiting to Meet You

Girls Are Waiting to Meet You was formed in the spring of 2008.  Described by City Weekend as “thick and dreamy,” the band’s sound combines elements of rock, pop, jazz, reggae and folk.  In the summer of 2009, GAWTMY released its first self-titled CD. For more information on GAWTMY, please go to www.gawtmy.com

Sneak peak of hutong model

Chinese-American, Lucy Young, founder of Paper Tiger

This update’s featured artist

Guo Jian was born in Guizhou and graduated from the China Central Minorities Institute. His style is unsettling, evokes absurdity and is designed to challenge. Much of Guo Jian’s life and experiences,  including serving with the People’s Liberation Army for four years, have had a strong and very permanent influence over his work. Exhibiting extensively, Guo Jian’s art is held in many important collections including the National Gallery of Australia. Other countries include France, USA, Mexico and New Zealand. Now living between Australia and China, Guo Jian is continuing to subvert and celebrate his own culture for a foreign audience.

Event sponsors to date

Event sponsor: Three Shadows Art Photography Centre

Media sponsors: the Beijinger, China Visual, 精品购物指南(Lifestyle),  www.petercarney.net

Event partners: Beijing Color Studio, Courtyard No. 7, NLGX Design, Quintessentially, S.I.T. Coffee College, Studio-X Beijing, The Fig Tree, The Schoolhouse Mutianyu.

Interested in becoming an event sponsor or partner? Contact nancyktao@gmail.com

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