I was in Shanghai 4 days for business, between meetings I went to different interesting places and met quite a few interesting souls. One type of stores interested me most, they are called "treasure boxes". You can rent a tiny box and sell your stuffs or simply treat it as a showcase of your artworks. Most of these boxes are selling commercial stuffs, parallel import items. But this lovely store called çå¿ (cow's heart, or Ushigokoro in Japanese) has a genuine personality in its decorations. To put stuffs there, they have to be "original", "self-production" and "no current distribution to the public".
Opened in April 2007, the space is about 25 sq. meters filled with exhibition space and 170 boxes for rent. These boxes are made of "recycled wastes" found in Shanghai, each illuminated with a small light bulb. It is like peeking into these 170 people's life and wondering who they are, I could've spent an entire afternoon there. The location is equally interesting, an European style building called "Diage" built in 1930s in a former French concession area, the small complex is filled with a restaurant, a bar and a courtyard filled with sunshine. A total get away area different from its surroundings.
çå¿ is created by 3 Japanese and 1 Hong Konger. It has a huge difference in promoting art and culture in the form of "treasure box" style store when you compare it with the rest of those profit only offers. I just love to see these differences, rewarding trip!
