The sub-district of North Sichuan Road is a community of significant histories and cultural elements. From 1900s to 1940s, North Sichuan Road was host to over forty publishing presses and cultural institutions, dozens of theatres and cinemas and Hongkew Cinema, the first one that presents sound films in China which sat at the intersection of Haining Road and Zhapu Road. More than seventy revolutionary heritages, over sixty old homes of historically renowned figures and the progressive culture represented by Lu Xun contribute to a powerful ambience of culture. The historic scenic areas of Duolun Road, Shanyin Road and Liyang Road give us an original and authentic taste of the past years. The public spaces in the sub-district of Duolun Road emphasize practical functionality and primarily serve citizens of Shanghai, tourists and local residents. Duolun Road Cultural Street is a symbolic cultural project in Hongkou District which aims to “save cultural heritages and protect old homes and relics”. The Cultural Street offers, in addition to many intact historical buildings, a rich portfolio of public cultural resources and public spaces, intensively demonstrating the key planning, transformation and community improvement projects in the sub-district of North Sichuan Road – Hengfeng Lane, Dongzhaoxiao Pavilion and Old Home of Li Bai the Martyr.

Curatorial Program

The curatorial program is organized along three threads: Project, Display and Activity.

Project: in addition to existing community micro-regeneration projects such as Dongzhaoxiao Pavilion, Old Home of Li Bai the Martyr and Hengfeng Lane, there are commissions to artists or studios and online writing projects with young writers and nonfictional teams to promote localized knowledge generation and communication.

Acoustic Fragments, as an art project introduced into the community, are eight multi-media works: recordings based on sampling taken from the environment within fifteen minutes’ walk from the main venue of Duolun Road plus imagery and video. They offer a thorough interpretation of the social relationships between people and community, production and nature, publicity and sharing.

Writing in Parallel Times and Spaces presents the excellent works of the “resident observation and composition” writing workshop as part of Symbosis: Duolun Road. Through following the steps of the city as it evolves and listening to the narratives and memories of individuals, the project records, inspires and imagines an ideal community vision of diversified symbiosis.

Display: an exhibition board gallery is installed at the street garden of Duolun Road while fascinating tour-guiding elements are placed at bookstores and cafes, in connection with the stores’ signage.

Activity: promote cooperation between different industries and academic dialogues, organize the Symbiosis Forum which is planned to compose of 3 seminars with streaming, 1-2 city walks and 2-3 art workshops to establish a brand.