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On the last week before the end of 696 Weihai lu - Shanghai 24/7 is running some features celebrating the history and the people of the art community in the centre of Shanghai. Firstly an interview with Stageback founder Susanne Junker on her last ever installation at 696 and what the community has meant to her over the years.
Q: Can you tell us more about your MYSPACE installation?
A: It is the last exhibit at stage候台BACK which has functioned as a gallery for the past three years. Our first exhibition was in April 2008 and we held an open doors weekend on April 19th. I’ve had my own exhibition there when I started the gallery and now the last exhibition is also my work. In between I’ve promoted artists from abroad; places like the United States, Germany, and France. Over the years it has functioned more as a gallery than a personal workspace.
Q: Why did you move to 696 Weihai Lu in the first place?
A: When I first had the idea for stage候台BACK, I looked all over the city. I have always wanted to live and work in a community and when I found out about 696 I was on fire right away. I loved it  and was really happy that I could be a part of this. I would never have opened a space in Europe. It’s way too expensive and I never wanted to be a gallerist for commercial reasons. Since the city has changed so much I wanted to be a part of it. stage候台BACK came about because I wanted to create something of my own, invite people, exchange, and to have interesting dialogues. Since it was so inexpensive that’s the big reason why I could do it here in Shanghai.
Q: All of the artists are remorseful about leaving the 696 area. At the same time they are happy to have been a part of this unique experience. What are your thoughts about the whole situation?
A: If this would have been in Germany or Berlin we would have fought against the decision. We would have fought it for years and that just doesn’t happen here. That is the big difference. Everyone is obviously upset about moving out. There is some support. We get a few articles on the internet and few magazines, but in the long run it doesn’t help that much out. They don’t really help raise awareness to the reader. It doesn’t function like a protest, just information. In any other place in Europe, people would fight to keep their space. Here, the government wants the land back or they want to sell it. We cannot change that; we cannot protest. Especially as a foreigner, I am not here to teach or tell people what to do. I can only do as much as I can, but I cannot start to protest, and in the process put other Chinese people in danger. It is more of a danger to them [local Chinese] to say something. It is very different here in China than Europe.
Q: What have you heard 696 will turn into?
A: I’ve heard so many different things: they are going to knock down the wall and connect the two sections; they are going to renovate everything; rent it out at very expensive rates; turn it into a creative cluster or creative zone; the villa area is supposed to be turned into a Xintiandi like area.
Q: Creative cluster? Isn’t that what this is?
A: Yeah, well. Not in their eyes. They’ve never experienced the individual growth of a creative scene. They’ve never experienced that except for M50. One of the main reasons M50 survived instead of the other areas is because some of the galleries became commercially interesting. For them it is only good if it is clean and neat and expensive. I must say that 696 is in a prime location. Located in the middle of the city near Nanjing Xi Lu with a really cheap price, of course they will take it back. In all honesty, I thought they would take it back a year from now. stage候台BACK has been going through a good flow as well as the other businesses and galleries. On top of the fact that we all have to find and move somewhere else. Still, of course they take it. It’s in the center of the city.
Q: There are not that many artistic communities such as 696 left in Shanghai. Once this unique community is split up do you think it’s going to be more difficult to access art?
A: Of course. If you want to visit artists’ studios it will be more difficult to find them in the centre of the city. This is what Moganshan Lu used to be 10 years ago. There was a bunch of artists there. Now, most spaces of those spaces have turned into galleries. It only did this when M50 became commercially interesting. Of course we had the same thing here, but that naturally happens. At least here at 696 we had a good mix of the interesting and the commercial. It was nice that everything wasn’t right in your face. That you had to search for it a little bit. Artists lived and worked here. They had their space to explore and basically live. Unfortunately, this is going to change.
Q: You’ve been in Shanghai for seven years. In the very off chance that you cannot find an affordable place in the city, are you willing to move outside the city?
A: No, No. I have no interest in that. It’s funny; I’ve been to Wuhan last year and it was such an incredible trip. I always wish I could spend more time there. I had an art show there and it was amazing, but overall I do not plan on leaving Shanghai. You know, I could organize an Artists in Residency somewhere in another city, where it’s really cheap, find a space and its part of a program, but only if I still have a space in Shanghai. I do not see the point of moving out of here. We live in Shanghai. For me, Beijing is overloaded with galleries. On top of that I don’t know Beijing very well. If I do anything in China, I’ll do it in Shanghai.
Q: Have you ever worked with an AIR (Artists in Residency) program before?
A: No, I haven’t. I would though. I’ve had an artist work here, but I organized it all on my own.
Q: You’ve seen this city change into what it is today; from a tourist spot on a map to one of the greatest cities in the world. How has your view of the city, if any, changed?
A: I can’t really say what changed, but it’s changed a lot. There is always a new shop or Westernized bakery or whatever. You think to yourself, ‘What did they have before.’ You already don’t remember what was there before. Maybe it was a noodle shop or some low business store or something. The overall feeling has changed. It is becoming more and more plain which is sad. If you look at Wulumuqi lu or Anfu lu. Anfu lu there was nothing and now it is this big lǎowài bakery. It’s nice, I enjoy it too. Before it was just for locals and now it’s become delocalized a little bit, especially around the French Concession. But the French Concession is always special spot in the world. If you come out of the area then Shanghai is like any other Chinese city and doesn’t have any unique characteristics at all. That’s why it was nice to have Weihai Lu here in the middle of this very nice neighborhood while maintaining an underground warehouse feeling.
Q: Over the years stage候台BACK has earned a name for itself in the art community. Do you find it is going to be difficult to maintain the same patrons and crowds?
A: Everything’s changing. I’m sure it is going to be hard. It’s sad. This is the end of an era. We had a going away party and composed a catalogue with biographies of all the artists and their works. It is the end of something great. Change is difficult and it’s sad and it’s hard. For me personally there definitely will be a new challenge coming up running stage候台BACK a bit differently. It was such a unique spot; it was a little hidden, it was on the third floor, it had a big terrace, it was renovated compared to the hallway. These contrasts always made it interesting. Also the artists and the art work were interesting. Altogether, I don’t know what moving will be. I have to adapt stage候台BACK to the new space and it will attract new people, hopefully some more interesting artists and art fans. There are always people in search for more art. In Shanghai there really isn’t too much to choose from compared to other major cities. There are the ones on Moganshan Lu, various galleries in the French concessions, and all the galleries on the Bund. I think people are always interested in something new. I’m sure when there’s a new stage候台BACK it won’t be hard for people to enjoy themselves.
Q: What’s the next step for stage候台BACK?
A: I’ve been looking around for another place. I have a few options, but nothing is confirmed yet. Many of the artists from here [696] are moving farther away from the city. Most of them need their own private workspace. It’s just so tragic that artists have to live in these remote spaces because these are the only spaces that they can afford. Why doesn’t an artist have the right to live in a nice neighborhood, surrounded by nice restaurants and food stands? We’ve had this amazing Shanghai life and now we have to go to these remotes areas. It’s really too bad.
WORDS: S247
PICTURES: S247
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