I've been out and about exploring Beijing and there is still so much more to see and do. I've taken thousands of photos, and I mean literally thousands! It will take quite some time to sieve through them all. I've managed to get to some places that I probably shouldn't have been... I just keep walking (looking like I know what I am doing) until someone stops me, or at least gestures that I shouldn't be there! We (me and and a couple of other artists) got into the construction site of the CCTV (Rem Koolhaas's new building), we took a walk along the railway tracks... all the locals were doing it, and it was the only way across the river (although the police didn't like us taking pictures), and we went to the top of a building due for demolition; we were trying to get a good view of the Koolhaas building, but the windows looked out the wrong way! I've been to the underground city, which is a maze of tunnels that Mao had built in anticipation of Russia. No pictures were allowed, but the guy didn't say anything about video!!!
The Hutongs (the lanes) are full of character and have the feeling of a film set; where it seems that at every corner you turn there is a stage set up, with props in place. Many Hutongs are being flattened to make room for new skyscrapers... ideal places for drawing!!!
Here is a video of the Olympic site as I passed it on the bus...hope it's ready for August!
I've been making many drawings, which when I get around to it I will photograph and add to the blog thing... but for the meantime I'm also finding myself also doing video. Here's a picture of how my studio looks now (there are drawings on the walls, you just can't see them). In case you are wondering... that is a projector next to the computer, it's balancing there projecting on the celling!
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