A former canning factory now transforming into an artistic zone with a vibrant array of art galleries, design studios, fashion houses, coffee shops and restaurants housed in the 1950’s soviet red brick buildings, Guangzhou Redtory Art&Design Factory tucked away from the buzz of Guangzhou wholesale markets makes a charming day out for art lovers.
Redtory (红专厂) is located in the vicinity of Exit B, Yuancun subway station, line 5. Hop onto the local mini bus that will take you there at ￥2 per person. You can walk there either, and the 15-minute’s walk from the subway station is interesting in itself as it’s a great spot to soak into local atmosphere.
Redtory is home to around 40 old red-brick buildings. Trendy artistic works adorning the nostalgic appearance of old architectures contribute to the aesthetically stimulating charm of Guangzhou Redtory, a new highlighted art spot for tourism in China. As you take a stroll around Guangzhou art&design factory, you’ll see rows and rows of 1950’s decaying buildings being renovated with posters or paintings that explicitly showcase Chinese history combining with modern creativity. You might also come across lots of art students with either Cannon cameras or mobile phones photographing each other. Some taobao shops also use Redtory as backdrop for their product shootings.
The neat part about Redtory is it’s landscaped with big shaded trees, twisting trunks, creative sculptures or other artistic works on every corner, so much different from the chaotic city center, adding extra fun to browse through galleries and art shops featuring both contemporary and classical arts with friends.
The hints of Redtory’s past role as the biggest canning factory in China is not hard to find. At the entrance, the abandoned containers were refurbished into “magic cube” installation. Some street names are still preserved like Can Street.
The most eye-catching and popular scene is the train carriage stuck in the abandoned Yuancun railway, and it has been transformed into a special restaurant.
Go on weekends as flea markets with an incredible assortment of trinkets and souvenirs are usually held in Redtory on weekends, moreover, some Chinese art exhibitions, seminars and international cultural exchange activities are also held there, attracting both Chinese and international art lovers alike.
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