Culture> Art

Changying mall gets a dose of punk

By Nigel Moffiet ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2013-10-24 16:40:13

A punk reveler gets thrown in the air and surfs the crowd. [Photo by John Lake/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Over the next five weeks Lake will be showcasing his photos and videos at a small

kiosk located inside Changying Mall with the support of the Red Gate Gallery – Beijing's first private contemporary art gallery. He even hopes to get some live punk bands to play there in November.

The exhibition is the result of a collaboration between Red Gate Gallery and BHG Mall that aims to introduce international artists to the wider public.

During his time in Beijing, Lake will explore the similarities and differences between the Beijing punk scene and the Western punk scene which he says was borne out of rebellion and anger towards capitalist, consumer society.

After six weeks in Beijing, the photographer has already found there are differences in the punk scene in China and although there is still a lot of angst, "a completely different interpretation of punk" exists in the country.

"They do sing about the rabid pace of development… crap jobs, boring jobs, and environmental pollution and the stress of living in such huge, sprawling metropolises.