Painting in shenzhen

Posted by xtreme (990 days ago)

has anyone ever got any paintings from the village in shenzhen? and if so how was the qaulity?

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Posted by conordec (989 days ago)

I went a month ago, really good day out. If you go to Queensroad East and look at alot of the newly opened painting shops, thats the quality you'll get.
There are heaps of shops, and it pays to take your time when looking. Bargain hard and you'll be happy.
One painting my friend bought for $400 was on Queens Road East for 5,500!!!! and it was we're sure from Dafen (Shenzhen).

Cheers.

Posted by cma (989 days ago)

Quality varies from shop to shop and you need to start bargaining at about a quarter of the price they start with. It's also really cheap to get stuff framed there and some shops will frame in an hour so that you don't have to come back another time.

Posted by marina (989 days ago)

How do you get to this place in Shenzhen?

Posted by conordec (989 days ago)

i asked at the shangrila concierge to organise me a taxi, ie, translate where i wanted to go.
walk from the train station straight and you can see the shangrila, just ask them.

i'm going sunday, have fun.

Posted by Mark Six (989 days ago)

Can you be a bit more specific please about how to get there. How long is the taxi ride and about how much should it cost? Is the Shangrila the big hotel you can see from the Lo Wu shopping centre? I have a visitor arriving tomorrow and would love to take her there.
Thanks.

Posted by conordec (989 days ago)

ok,
yes, the hotel you can see is the shangri-la, it has a big S and the name on the top.
walk there, and ask at concierge for a taxi to Dafen, this should take no more than 20 minutes, around 50 rmb, you'll probably get dropped off at the painters hand statue, a huge bronze statue of a hand with a paint brush, if you are in front of that, the shops are behind it.
maybe the shang will have a map, ask them for more info, they should be able to help, just make sure you get a proper english speaking staff member.
let us know how you go.

Posted by Mark Six (988 days ago)

Thanks! Will do.

Posted by Miss P (988 days ago)

I forgot to bargain at Dafen thats how excited I got... still really cheap ,blush. I bought 3 paintings ,one was 90cms x 120 cms and had it framed ...the story continues I got it framed ,realised it was too big to carry thru Customs alone and by email,the gallery arranged delivery to HK..BUT it was a hassle because supposedly have to get your address translated they said into Mainland characters(?) anyway eventually they got it here and a local HK company delivered to me here in Tsuen Wan ...THEY tried to sting me for more money but the gallery at Dafen sorted it... the gallery is called Gold Autumn Gallery happy with my original ? waterscapes of um somewhere Chinese ie a fishing village.All oils ,but suggest you take rolled up back to HK although the temptation to take advantage of the cheap framing is overwhelming!
They will also (100 RMB) drive you and your goodies back to Lo Wu in a nice big van...Otherwise make sure you only take a red coloured taxi back to Lo Wu .
Folks they sell real coffee there- in China!!!actually drinkable and little shortbread bikkies in the first big gallery on left .This place is going to go off like a rocket ,watch out, tourist trap alert ,like Lueho soon -get in now.
The ride out from the Shangrila is a doddle ,$50 RMB,the driver even escorted me into Dafen on foot to see I was OK ...how sweet. Zilch English though.So much for mean ,evil Mainlanders.its a long day though ,iI defy you to get out of there in a hurry.A lot of crap copies of old masters but some lovely originals(?) in between...go get 'em.No hard sell either!

Posted by conordec (988 days ago)

Shhhhhhhh, Miss P!!!
It is a great day out, not PACKED either.
I got all my stuff framed and carried it through customs, I didn't buy heaps at a time, but its a good day out.
I do agree with the coffee...
Where was the Gold Autmn Gallery???

Posted by Miss P (988 days ago)

Um yes well ,in the maze of Dafen,I was a little disorientated in the end...towards the front ,at right angles to road ,nearish the playground but my directions are awful ...only a small place ,um,reading card now, er ,yes my Chinese is non existent. there is a C 227B shop no???,ph no 0755 84159192,email will check and post in an hour.

Posted by Miss P (988 days ago)

re gallery email , c/0 Ms Wang ,a sweetie, shenzhenyiya@126.com

Posted by Knowitall (988 days ago)

Everyone, The quality there is very bad and most of the paintings are copies of original artists. If you have any humanitarian qualities about you then you will feel for the helpless factory hands that are forced to work long hours in sweat shops copying paintings and making fakes for ridiculously low wages. Don't support slave labour. Buying one of these paintings is like downloading a song from a file share website, it is illegal. If you are caught going through customs with a fake you are liable to heavy fines and if you are an expat it may revoke your residency status - buyer beware, DO NOT SHOP IN DAFEN.

Posted by Miss P (988 days ago)

Well I didn't buy copies I bought originals..., (well I think they are..don't care really I like them ..)and the people I saw working in the studios painstakingly copying 'art '(yes I said some of it is awful) didn't look like downtrodden sweatshop slaves to me...that said, I am sure it happens in China.. but honestly ,I fail to see how all this " don't buy in China they are all fakes " extends to Dafen paintings for gods sake..'.they are not being sold as the' original Mona Lisa ' ,are they? Get a grip,dear,with greatest respect, you abviously know something about all this but we poor greedy capitalist slobs would like to buy SOMETHING in China without being berated by do gooders EVERYTIME sigh!!!

Posted by Eddy (988 days ago)

I bought some paintings in Shenzen and as long as they're are no signature at the corner, there are not fake.. just copies... therefore not illegal.
knowitall.. maybe you can afford the 45 000 4 for a real vietnamese painting. i can't. And i'm happy with my copy and never pretend it's the real thing.

Posted by bluesky (988 days ago)

How much have you paid averagely for a paiting?

Posted by Miss P (986 days ago)

depends how well you bargain $150 - $300 incl framing.I paid $850 for 3 incl delivery no bargaining (dopy I was ) but happy.

Posted by conordec (977 days ago)

anyone looking for good english speaker with a shop should contact sophie, jing ya gallery.
email
jingya8309@chinaacc.com
she is very helpful, say Mick from hk sent you

happy shopping!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Canadian_GuyHK (976 days ago)

Any idea on what a frame only would cost? I just bought some paintings in Vietnam and will be transporting them back to HK tonight (without frame) and wondered if I should just get them done in HK or travel to Shenzen. They are 80x60

Tim

Posted by Miss P (976 days ago)

hmmm bargain ,way cheaper anyway than HK thats for sure....butremember you have to carry from SZ thru Customs ,all that fun queueing etc...plus fares but I did!!!

Posted by conordec (975 days ago)

Canadian Guy,

you won't pay more than 30hk per metre in SZ.
contact sophie on the above email that i posted for an idea, she'll be willing to help, but as Miss P says, it's somewhat uncomfortable carrying through customs.. depends how many you'll be carrying and how big they are.
Message me offline if you like.

Posted by Canadian_GuyHK (975 days ago)

I have two paintings 80x60 I think. I'll stop by a place on my way home tonight to get an idea of how the cost is. I don't need anything that special as the oil paintings were only ~ $50 USD anyways.

Maybe the materials can be bought there and assembled here?

Posted by Canadian_GuyHK (975 days ago)

Okay. I stopped by to ask the guy near my place (CWB)
He had hundreds of frames. I asked for a cheap one and then the next one up and got prices for both.
80 x 60 = $280 or $230
60 x 60 = $220 or $180

The think one was .5 inches thick, the larger one was about 1"

Think the prices in Shenzen would be worth the trip?

Posted by conordec (975 days ago)

just go to shenzhen, i paid 280 for an 80 x 80, painting AND frame...
something different aswell

Posted by Canadian_GuyHK (975 days ago)

Well, i've got the paintings, so maybe just go over and get the frames. I really don't feel like lugging the paintings across the border. Wonder if I can but the wood almost assembled and get it done here?

Posted by nofa (969 days ago)

Can you get the paintings shipped back to HK instead of having to carry through customs yourself?

Posted by Miss P (969 days ago)

Nofa,see my earlier post ,scroll back up

Posted by gasgal (71 days ago)

Wow! Knowitall... Possibly You're living in the wrong continent. Besides if an artist can start out by making 'copy look a likes'... (they are really NOTHING like the originals).... (so no risk of fraud there).... then I'm all for promoting an artistic skill. Perhaps when they have made a bit to feed there families they can branch out with there own style..

Who knows.

Rather it went some poor chinese family than a rich dead European heir....

Posted by mumz (66 days ago)

dafen is quite a place to shop!!got a few cheap bargains fm there and even with 2 kids in tow,we still had enjoyed t stroll along t wide streets at t village to get some good paintings/bargains...believe me,half t paintings at stanley do come fm there...i found two of mine i bought at stanley for only a fraction of t price i pay!!!!