What is art? To answer this, it may be appropriate to first ask: "What is not art".

He Yunkai's sculpture On the Road, seen here at Beijing's 798 Art Festival, is a significant event in Chinese contemporary art. [China Daily]

At the ongoing 798 Art Festival 2008, chief curator Wang Lin is doing just this with his presentation of 45 surveys on Chinese contemporary art.

The theme exhibition, titled Art Is Not Anything, displays paintings, sculptures, video, installations and other latest works by 45 Chinese contemporary artists, such as Sui Jianguo, Kong Yongqian and Zhang Nian. A notice board welcomes comments on the show from both participants and spectators.

"It is hard to define art today. But at least, we can say art is not everything," Wang says.

"These days, art in China is overly commercialized. This exhibition tries to break away from the cycle of control and benefit," he adds.

Although many people believe that the 798 Art Zone is becoming more and more a showcase of business, organizers of the annual 798 Art Festival want to prove that the district is still a haven for art. To this end, they have such offerings as the LOFT Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, The Sound of Metal: The First Invitational Academic Exhibition of the China Sculpture Institute, besides dozens of other special shows, music and film events and forums running throughout this month.

"'Outdoor' means there is no threshold and the general public is the real host of art," says Cui Li, co-curator of LOFT.

"Participants include both famous artists and upcoming young talents. More importantly, the shows illustrate how art can be incorporated into the public space.

"Contemporary art doesn't simply reflect the culture of the times. It uncovers the truth behind mainstream culture and pop art. It should enrich and sublimate people's spiritual world."

The Beijing 798 Art Zone has been developed from a deserted factory whose Bauhaus-styled architecture attracted its first resident artists. It has now evolved into a complex of galleries, creative institutes, workshops, fashion shops, cafes and restaurants.

The 798 Art Festival was launched last year and is aimed at maintaining the vigor of contemporary art, upgrading the academic and artistic quality of the art district, and promoting a widespread interest in art.

(China Daily October 14, 2008)