More than 100 artists have set up workspaces in the disused factories and cotton mills known as M50 (50 Moganshan Rd, 莫⼲⼭路50号), located just north of Jing’an. It’s the largest complex of modern art galleries in Shanghai and most are open to the public for free. Exhibitions are wide-ranging, from modern immersive installations to classic portraiture.
Galleries
This hip, slightly grungy district, launched by local artist Xue Song in 2000, is overflowing with creative talent and showcases artworks in more than 50 galleries. Even the exteriors of the factory spaces are splashed with impressive street murals.
Simply wander around and in and out of the usually free studios to view the ever-changing line-up of work. But don't miss some of the big hitters – the superb island6 gallery (Building 6) offers provocative art, and humorous takes on city scenes relating to Shanghai, with pieces such as those titled Air-dried Chicken Thigh or Loony Taxi Ride filled with moving LED lights, retro scenes and iconic graphics (pieces are available for sale). ShanghART (Building 16) is another longstanding heavyweight with an enormous gallery space for large-sized pieces; recent exhibitions have included Zhang Ding's solo exhibition Observation Points, inspired by the experiments concerned with human skulls and bones.
Art Technology Space (Building 18), meanwhile, has hosted some trippy sensory exhibitions – the Redirect exhibition, for example, had visitors use digital technology to consider different contexts. Viewers could blow to create echoes in a "space-time tunnel" or gaze at a digital screen showing how a breeze rustles through the forest. Pata Gallery (Building 4) was founded by artist and sculptor Hsu Tung-Lung and is a great place for Chinese contemporary and classical works; it usually has one large solo exhibition on. Antenna Space (Building 17), set up by art dealer Simon Wang, is all about new media avant-garde art, focusing on young to mid-career artists working in more unusual mediums such as video, installations and styles of sculpture. Feel free to explore and wander into buildings and up stairwells hiding more galleries, and follow the M50 page on WeChat for new exhibition launches and events.
Street Art
When wandering round the M50 complex, stop and pause at some of the intriguing decorated studio walls, lanes and former bits of factory machinery. Pieces change regularly and they're often as good as what's hanging inside the galleries.
Cafes
Bela Fiesta (Building 11) is a Filipino restaurant and bar in the center of the M50 complex with a relaxing outdoor terrace for fine weather. The chef serves up tocilog (sweet pork rice breakfast), bansilog (milkfish with rice) and chicken adobo among other dishes from the Philippines. Nod Cafe (3rd floor, Building11) is the cool kids' hangout of choice – it sells vinyl, beer, coffee and dessert in a minimalist space and has a small sun terrace.
Shops
Espace Pebeo (Building 0) is the place for quality oil paints and other art supplies. Some galleries sell artistic gifts and creations, and many wall paintings and works are up for sale (even if they don't have a price on them). Many galleries will also arrange international shipping.
Jade Buddha Temple
Nearby is one of Shanghai’s few active Buddhist monasteries, the Jade Buddha Temple ( 玉佛寺, Yùfó Sì; cnr Anyuan & Jiangning Rds, 安远路和江宁路街口). Built between 1918 and 1928, it has striking temples and courtyards to wander through, plus two huge jade carved Buddhas. Roaming the temple's incense-filled grounds and halls, with their curved eaves designed to ward off evil spirits, feels a million miles from modern-day Shanghai.
