Shanghai Impressions Part 2

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Shanghai is a really strange place. It's a city full of such insane contrasts... a Rolex shop around the corner from people barely scraping by in little hovels. There are so many hockers, scammers, pushers, and prostitutes all over the place, if I never hear "bagswatchesbagswatches" ever again it will be too soon.

The Moganshan art district is a definite part of this contrast, little galleries and art spaces in old industrial warehouses selling highend artwork. While exploring the ramshackle buildings was as exciting if not more so than seeing the work there was some incredible stuff on display here, the modern Chinese art scene is definitely on its game.

Everywhere you turn here there is construction going on, something old getting knocked down to make room for something new. Construction workers in Shanghai don't look like other people here, they're stouter and darker skinned, and tend to sleep right on the site as they don't really live anywhere in the city but have been trucked in for the work. The Bund is normally a huge tourist draw but the waterfront park is set to be a big image of the Expo2010 so for now it's even dustier and loudier than everything else in this dusty loud city.

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Photos

Moganshan
Graffiti on the road into the Moganshan art districts. The only graffiti I've seen in the city.