PROPAGANDA POSTER SERIES 1

Shanghai propaganda poster art center

The museum is located in a basement of an apartment building in HuaShan Lu in the former French Concession area. In order to get in, you have to ask the security guard. They will then give you a little card with the map of the apartment complex with the location of the museum, there’s isn’t any signage at all. The experience almost felt like trying to get to a speakeasy.

The museum carries a rich and rare collection of posters from the Maoist period of communist China, especially from the Cultural Revolution period. Most of these posters were hand made with wood block, stencils and painted.

Urban Tribe

A hidden gem, oasis of calm…this lifestyle store has everything from clothing and jewelry to cleverly packaged tea and tea drinking instruments. The owners make a point to either custom design their products or source them from local artists who share the same vision.  Upon entering this shop we were greeted with a warm cup of chinese tea, at home within seconds.

Future Mails

This shop in TIANZIFANG offers a mail service, puh’er tea cake for under $100 RMB and unique blessed treasures. You can purchase a postcard and write a note to your future self. The time… 5 years or 10 years.  The shop keeper will offer some tea and share stories with ease, time slows down in here.

田子坊 Tianzifang

Tianzifang 田子坊 is an arts and crafts enclave that has developed from a renovated residential area in the French Concession area of Shanghai, China. Its quite literally a neighborhood of labyrinthine alleyways filled with galleries, shops, cafe and restaurants. Tianzifang is completely hidden from the neighbouring streets, as it grew from the inside of the block outward.

We were accidentally ‘maced’ when walking by a kitchen door in one of the narrow paths. After recovering from the coughing and burning sensations the confusion lifted to reveal that we probably just inhaled a healthy dose of chili powder that someone had spilled. Chaos and beauty find a home together here.

one man’s trash, another man’s treasure

南翔饅頭店 Nanxiang Steamed Bun Shop

One of the best steam goods in town, store the most famous dumplings. We tried out their 小籠包 steam pork dumplings,魚翅灌湯包 steam shark fin soup dumpling, and some veggies dishes. It was so delicious and perfect for an afternoon snack. 

behind the scene, above your head