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Arts & Communication 1980s: A turning point in the Chinese art market

industries. In May 1988, the Yanjing Industrial Group Plaza Hotel, the Art Museum (established in 1991),
was established. With the continuous development and the art salon, located in the thriving Wangfujing
and growth of the enterprise, Yanjing Calligraphy and neighborhood. The Sino-Japanese Crowne Plaza
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Painting Association became a renowned enterprise brand Beijing Guo Ji Yi Yuan Hotel was constructed through
domestically and internationally and was successively collaboration between China Smile Hall Co., Ltd. and
recognized as one of Beijing’s premier professional stores the Beijing Artists Association, under the supervision
for Chinese and foreign tourists and among the first batch of Dazhong Industrial Co., Ltd., a joint venture between
of state-approved foreign tourist-designated shopping China State Construction Engineering Corporation
stores. and Japan Taisei Construction Co., Ltd. As the first

Yanjing Calligraphy and Painting Association operates as Sino-foreign joint venture cultural and art enterprise in
a collaborative firm, enabling greater flexibility in its supply China, the Beijing Guo Ji Yi Yuan Hotel boasts advanced
chains, marketing channels, and production methods. facilities and a sophisticated ambiance. The Beijing
With commodity prices allowed to fluctuate within the International Art Center aims to showcase premium
policy limits, the business can fully utilize its operational Chinese paintings, oil paintings, and other fine art pieces
autonomy and adapt rapidly to market changes. As of through both internal and external exhibitions and sales
1987, there are 550 employees at Yanjing Calligraphy and channels, with ongoing oil painting and ink painting
Painting Association, with profits escalating from 659,000 exhibitions. The Beijing International Art Garden has
yuan to 7.44 million yuan (i.e., an average annual rise of hosted several exhibitions since its inception in 1986
50% since 1980) and sales income increasing from 1.856 (oil painting exhibitions in 1986 and 1987; ink painting
million yuan to 23.3 million yuan in 1986 (i.e., an average exhibition in 1988), receiving positive feedback. The
annual gain of 52% since 1980). By 1989, the workforce Beijing Guo Ji Yi Yuan Hotel has also contributed to
had expanded to 623 employees. Operating under a contemporary art studies through exhibitions (Modern
contracting model, the association maintained an annual Oil Painting—the First Oil Painting Exhibition of Beijing
profit growth rate of 15 – 20%. Its unique selling point International Art Museum; Modern Oil Painting—the
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combines the painting academy’s structure with a business Second Oil Painting Exhibition of Beijing International
plan, with over ten youthful staff members proficient in Art Museum; and Modern Oil Painting—the Third Oil
various aspects of drawing, painting, production, and Painting Exhibition of Beijing International Art Museum)
sales. State-owned, well-respected businesses have a strong and publication of books and albums featuring modern
foundation and distinctive brand effect, allowing them to oil paintings (Beijing International Art Museum Ten
steer policy direction and spur development effectively. Years [1991 – 2001] and Beijing International Art
Museum Art Foundation 15 Anniversary) (Figure 2).
th
The Yanjing Calligraphy and Painting Association
formed close bonds with esteemed calligraphy and painting The influx of foreign visitors to Beijing surged from
masters, including Xiao Huang, Huaimin Zhou, Xueshi less than 20,000 in 1976 to 280,000 in 1980, driven by
Bai, and Kuchan Li. Notably, renowned calligraphers China’s economic recovery and progress. With only 11
and painters, such as Xiao Lao, Shouping Dong, and foreign-related hotels totaling fewer than 5,000 rooms in
Chengxi Wang, were invited to paint and teach during the Beijing at that time, the tourism industry faced challenges
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organization’s inception (Figure 1). Through discussions accommodating this growth. To address this, the State
with these experts, the Yanjing Calligraphy and Painting Council established an organization to attract foreign and
Association progressively enhanced both the concept domestic capital for hotel construction, prioritizing tourism
of art collection and the tools available to collectors and as one of the first sectors to open up to foreign investments.
business owners. It has amassed a substantial collection of
renowned works from modern and contemporary painting
circles and promoted several influential artists within the
current painting community.

3.2.2. Foreign hotels and the Beijing Guo Ji Yi Yuan
Hotel as a Sino-foreign joint venture
Several Sino-foreign joint venture art companies were
in various stages of development, with some operational
and demonstrating early benefits while many others Figure 1. Related literature of Beijing International Art Gallery. Left:
Calligrapher Bingsen Liu guiding calligraphers and painters Xiao Lao,
were still in the construction or exploration stages. The Shouping Dong, and Chengxi Wang. Right: Lecture on calligraphy and
Beijing International Art Park comprises the Crowne painting by a well-known calligrapher Bingsen Liu.

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2024) 6 doi: 10.36922/ac.2028