I first saw Red Gate (and China) in '02.
I was a little disappointed with the art on display, feeling it was dull and unadventurous. At that time I was, of course, totally unaware or the social and political context in which Red Gate had to operate. On my first return in 2007, to attend an opening, I first found myself wandering in the 798 Art Complex and eventually found the new gallery for Red Gate. As a result of this unplanned odyssey I formed the opinion that Beijing's contemporary art scene had achieved it's own great leap forward in five years.

I also found it undeniable that even the most avant garde of Chinese Art refers to China's massive history - not as a cultural burden but rather as a common language that all Chinese can instantly recognise and interpret.

As for Red Gate itself, the show I saw was boldly about the body in a society where nudity and sexuality are still extemely problematic. There was even just a little hint of politics!