Hipster in Shenzhen

After hopping off the plane and thankfully having no problems with my visa, luggage, or anything else, I found myself with nothing to do at the Bao’an airport in Shenzhen. 24 hours till my flight to Beijing. So...what to do? After a quick coffee and a bit of research (powered by BING!...yeah google is blocked here), I found a cheap hostel. 30 minutes later I'm in what appears to be the greenest city in China.

I feel at home anywhere there are palm trees! 

The neighborhood I stayed in is called OCT Loft. It is an art district with free art exhibits, trendy cafes, and small craft boutiques.  All of the buildings in the area are former factories that gentrified to host a wide variety of commercial establishments. 

 

The entrance to my hostel

Lounging around in my hostel.  The patio seating is adjacent to the sidewalk...perfect for people watching. 

What screams hipster more than gentrification projects on former industrial neighborhoods?

The renovations only affected in the inside of the factories, so the façade remains the same.  The result is an amazingly unique juxtaposition of old and new; dull industrial buildings covered in graffiti and hosting trendy coffee joints and stores full of kitschy junk.  

Some of the former warehouses were turned into exhibition halls, where artists from all over China display their work.  Entry is free!  The current theme of the exhibits is “participation.”

I didn't know what to make of this exhibit , it looked like a living room or something.  Then I saw the guy sleeping in the corner.  Ooohhh, so the participation aspect of this one is to insert yourself into the scene?  Looks like this guy is doing a great job.  You can't see it, but there is a security guard not even caring in the background. 

So this exhibit is three blackboards in a row with chalk. The idea is that the people who write on the board are participating in artwork.  Right...let's call that "art" 

A bunch of tangled wires with spotlights on them.  Is the point of this exhibit to "participate" in untangling this?  I didn't know i could throw my tangled headphones on the ground, shine some flashlights on it, and call it ART.  

These exhibits made me realize I might be an art prodigy. Kidding, but I really did enjoy this neighborhood.   Much of the area is still under construction, but OCT Loft already possesses the charm and character associated with any international art district.