frauke at large

A significant date in world history certainly: the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is finally under construction, Einstein arrives in the US after fleeing Germany, the original version of King Kong is premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York, beer is legalised in the US … I could go on, but … 

Actually what I am talking about is not the year 1933, but rather a new find in Shanghai: the old Shanghai Slaughter House – named 1933, which has been re-opened and transformed into an art gallery/shopping centre. It had originally been recommended to me by my friend and all round art expert Paul, but I had not had the time to go and see it until last weekend, when I finally made the trek to, for me, a new part of town: HongKou.

Spread over four levels, the circular central building features beautiful 1930’s ‘Bauhaus style’ architecture. Concrete spiral staircases and curved walkways lead up to a round glass stage area, on the way featuring some of the old metal gates that must have separated the cattle and fenced off certain pathways. It’s really worth visiting for the building alone. In fact from what we could see, the art/shopping side of things is still very much in its infancy: i.e. cafes are under construction, a trickle of art exhibitions were on display (mainly of Chinese photographers) and only a hand full of restaurants had opened in and around the building. Yet in any case, all that commercialism might spoil it. I imagine it will be great in the summer: a cold refuge in an otherwise sticky and humid Shanghai. Well worth the trip!

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