If you thought downtown Shanghai could only ever be a metropolitan experience, think again. Located in Putuo District (north-east of downtown Shanghai) is Moganshan Road, home of the M50 Creative Park. The area is a concentration of small, old-fashioned industrial buildings made of brick, creating an atmosphere not unlike that of Xintiandi. The difference is that, instead of restaurants, each building houses free open art galleries.
Perhaps most striking about M50 is its location. This quaint little corner of art is squeezed in between towering gray buildings and roads cluttered with cars. The thirty-minute walk there from Jing’an comprised of six-lane highways, perfectly manicured parks, and mall after mall—all the quirks of Shanghai unbelievably leading up to this quiet creative oasis.
When you step inside the complex from the noise outside, there is a visible shift in the atmosphere. Everything about M50 is, simply put, artsy. In addition to the galleries, the architecture, street art, and stylized cafes all create that effect. The bigger open spaces are filled with stalls selling everything from knits to pottery to jewelry. Young people are scattered all over, trying to take photos from unique angles. Every corner we rounded contained an artistic element, including a narrow alley lined with potted plants. The best part about it was its lack of structure and guidance: it’s up to you to discover everything.
What stands out about the art galleries themselves is their overall contrast. Each artist differed vastly from the next. During my trip, one gallery held a series of works with layers upon layers of paint piled in different colors and patterns. Another combined physical mediums with Nintendo-themed digital projections and sounds. The one I found most interesting was an artist that expertly molded translucent colored sheets to two-dimensionally mimic the behavior of hanging cloth (pictured below). Another favorite was a gallery of grayscale photographs of waterfalls, whose overall impression in the wide colorless warehouse ended up being more profound than the individual works.
We quickly found ourselves in a coffee shop that was also essentially an exhibition. The smell of freshly brewed coffee was strong, and cups were priced within the typical 25 to 35 RMB range. The décor had a Scandinavian feel, with wooden pieces matching modern minimalist furniture. The arrangement of the space definitely gave more of a catalogue vibe rather than a cozy coffee shop feeling, fitting in well at M50. The hanging lights were a nice touch.
Incredibly enough, the walk home is what sealed the deal. We’d come up to M50 through the back along the Wusong River and had missed the walk on Moganshan Road. This made taking the road home an unprecedented surprise. One side of the road held a building that extended all the way down and was lined with vintage-looking pop-out glowing LEDs. On the other side was a concrete wall enclosing a construction site that was covered with vibrant street art for the whole length of the road. Wrapping it all together were the pink and orange hues of the sunset. It was a clash of different elements that created something spectacular—even the construction site in the distance became beautiful.
I highly recommend M50 if you’re looking for a way to experience Shanghai a little differently. Being there is essentially free, and the metro is only ten minutes away to take you home or to a nice dinner downtown. It’s an inspiring and pleasant way to make use of a sunny day, not to mention a source of solid material for your Instagram feed.
Perhaps most striking about M50 is its location. This quaint little corner of art is squeezed in between towering gray buildings and roads cluttered with cars. The thirty-minute walk there from Jing’an comprised of six-lane highways, perfectly manicured parks, and mall after mall—all the quirks of Shanghai unbelievably leading up to this quiet creative oasis.
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| The walk back on Moganshan Road. Photos taken by Ana Ghiban. |
What stands out about the art galleries themselves is their overall contrast. Each artist differed vastly from the next. During my trip, one gallery held a series of works with layers upon layers of paint piled in different colors and patterns. Another combined physical mediums with Nintendo-themed digital projections and sounds. The one I found most interesting was an artist that expertly molded translucent colored sheets to two-dimensionally mimic the behavior of hanging cloth (pictured below). Another favorite was a gallery of grayscale photographs of waterfalls, whose overall impression in the wide colorless warehouse ended up being more profound than the individual works.
We quickly found ourselves in a coffee shop that was also essentially an exhibition. The smell of freshly brewed coffee was strong, and cups were priced within the typical 25 to 35 RMB range. The décor had a Scandinavian feel, with wooden pieces matching modern minimalist furniture. The arrangement of the space definitely gave more of a catalogue vibe rather than a cozy coffee shop feeling, fitting in well at M50. The hanging lights were a nice touch.
Incredibly enough, the walk home is what sealed the deal. We’d come up to M50 through the back along the Wusong River and had missed the walk on Moganshan Road. This made taking the road home an unprecedented surprise. One side of the road held a building that extended all the way down and was lined with vintage-looking pop-out glowing LEDs. On the other side was a concrete wall enclosing a construction site that was covered with vibrant street art for the whole length of the road. Wrapping it all together were the pink and orange hues of the sunset. It was a clash of different elements that created something spectacular—even the construction site in the distance became beautiful.
I highly recommend M50 if you’re looking for a way to experience Shanghai a little differently. Being there is essentially free, and the metro is only ten minutes away to take you home or to a nice dinner downtown. It’s an inspiring and pleasant way to make use of a sunny day, not to mention a source of solid material for your Instagram feed.
Ana Ghiban
