How can creators survive in the commercial world? That has long been a critical topic of discussion at art and design academies around the world. While we’re all still waiting for an answer, new questions continue to emerge: What even is creativity? As new forms of creativity take shape in our multimedia world, Shanghai-based creator community 021 offers one answer as to how artistic creation can grow without constraint.
021, Shanghai’s city code, also signifies “zero to one,” symbolizing the values the creator community hopes to convey. Their journey began in March, when they occupied the club OASIS at INS LAND in Shanghai for one night, and showcased the possibilities and passion that young creators can bring. The entire setup was prepared within a week, yet it immediately introduced a coherent natural aesthetic into a heavily industrialized complex.
The third space soon brought together creators from a wide range of disciplines: immersive installation, interactive art, experimental music, and more. At a new event series called ELSEWHERE, flutes mixed with keyboards, accompanied by an abundant collection of percussion instruments, which created a meditative experience. At BFunky Town, a funk music culture promoter, the atmosphere was more relaxed. Everyone in the room was invited onto the stage to move and dance together.
In May, as part of a deeper collaboration, 021 brought its team to the X Museum in Beijing with the support of INS LAND. That weekend, the team expanded its concept of community. You could start your day with a morning run, and end it at a rave. You could learn to make your own soft textiles and create music using AI and your body. Music and interaction were recurring themes throughout that weekend. Art lovers came to the museum for the exhibition and found themselves embarking on an adventure that transported them to another world, far removed from the mundane.
And the exploration of 021 continues. This emerging creator community is constantly being shaped by the people who join along the way. Drawing on a question that 021 founder Sydney Jingzhi Hu posed to visitors at X Museum, “If society is a factory, then what is art?”, 021’s performances and actions continually offer new answers.
Art could be the unshaped part of the manufacturing line. It could also be a bird that flies into the workspace. 021 is a group of young people testing the possibility of continuing to make the things they love while spreading that passion and sense of connection to the wider public. Perhaps art is not an escape from society’s factory, but a reminder that we are more than what we produce.
All photos via Zhou Yi, Siyu (Rita) Chen, and Sydney Jingzhi Hu from 021. Shout out to all the 021 community creators: Bruce, Eduo, Freya, Fynn, Jinzy, Mary, Matt Lou, Mia, Peiyu Wang, Rita Chen, Sabrina Wei, Shangfeihong Cao, Xiaozhou Chen, Yijie Mei, 钢铁大腿, and 周一.
