Photo Flash: An Art Afternoon at 798

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798 was one of those Beijing spots we knew we’d love, but never quite made it happen. Fresh out of quarantine, you might say we feel a tad more urgency to hit the Beijing bucket list. So it was that we found ourselves wandering along 798’s streets to see what we could see, and discover what our young kids would enjoy out of the many art offerings.

Taking young kids to an art museum can be stressful, as you explain the rules of emotionally engaging in a piece of art without touching it. Kids learn through touching, playing, holding something in their own hands, so the distance between art in a museum and their enjoyment or appreciation of it can feel vast sometimes. We had those moments, certainly, but overall, the way that 798 is designed allowed for both the quiet moments inside a gallery and outdoor spaces where they could “let it go” and release energy before distilling it again as we entered another exhibit.

I’d love to return over and over again, both with the kids and adults — or maybe alone. Besides the ramen at Time Zone 8, a highlight was my six-year-old finding a statue in one corner, not really on display but just kind of standing there like it had been forgotten. It was of two Chinese women holding up both a flag and an angel, and opened up a series of questions on imagery and metaphor and artistic intentions. That experience was well worth the whole day.

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Our entrance to 798 was quite bland until we looked up to find this fascinating sculpture.

The view from below prompted great questions about design, engineering, and the purpose of art.

Entering the exhibition called “LOVE IS….I Do,” we’re met by this floor plaque in multiple languages.

This piece in the “LOVE IS” exhibit is called “School Yard”. Kids can definitely relate to it.

These paintings were created by students in Tibet, and their youthful expression really grabbed our kids’ imaginations.

This digital globe stood at the entrance of an interesting exhibition room that both mocked modern cartoon characters and also sold cutesy ceramic figures.

We spent the most time by far in the PNSO Dinosaur Art Fair.

Gotta love the big ‘ol yellow triceratops head!

Among a wall full of fanciful paintings, we also found this adorable toddler triceratops…I think.

I’m sure we missed the larger picture with these stamps, but my kids enjoyed getting a stamp for a dino sighting!

While searching for a place to eat, we came upon this monster Transformer-like sculpture.

You can’t say you’ve been to 798 without seeing the red dinosaurs in cages!

Time Zone 8 provided the perfect cap to our art walk afternoon.

Just as the day turned very blustery, it was ramen to the rescue!

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Photos: Cindy Marie Jenkins

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