Revitalizing village through art

The first artists’ village emerged in China in 1990 when artists Ding Fang, Tian Bin, Fang Lijun and Yi Ling came together and lived in rented houses in the Fuyuanmen village near the Old Summer Palace. Now there are reportedly about 3000 artist’s villages or art zones of various sizes and types in China.

Situated in the Xingshou township of Changping district, the Xiayuan village boasts a history dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and is known as a tourist hotspot for its culture and landscape. Since late 1990s, it has attracted over 300 artists and artisans from across the country who opened their studios and settled down, renting houses from local farmers.

"When artists met villagers and learned to live together, their interaction and collaboration have since spawned a new kind of local culture, which is vital for the sustainable development of a village," said Wang Wei, founder of A-Lab, a Beijing-based media company, who has teamed up with Hung to start a 90-episode documentary which will be released on social media platforms as video blogs.