The Wall Street Journal reports on the destruction of Shanghai artist (and Chinese representative at the Venice Biennale) Yuan Gong’s studio and commercial real estate venture:

Shanghai-born contemporary artist Yuan Gong bought a large plot of land 10 years ago and created an art and retail space, naming the compound after himself. One of Shanghai’s 77 industrial “culture and creativityproduction parks,” the 6,000-square-meter facility houses design firms, restaurants, bars and spas, with about half the space occupied by Mr. Yuan’s art studio. […]

Last year, Mr. Yuan said local authorities contacted him about demolishing part of the property to build a road that would allow for a quicker flow of traffic in an area zoned as an economic and transport hub. The compound, located in an area that houses a large expat community and higher-income earners, is within walking distance of L’Avenue, a luxury mall developed by Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho and other new malls and offices currently under construction by Soho China and Forterra Trust.

“There were three exchanges regarding compensation but there wasn’t any agreement,” Mr. Yuan said, noting that the final exchange was held in mid-August and there was no threat of forced eviction.

At the entrance of the 2,336-square-meter compound, metal scaffolding, concrete debris and glass shards remained at the scene when China Real Time visited Saturday. Tenants at the compound, visibly unhappy about the destruction, tried to carry on business as usual.

Shanghai Authorities Demolish Artist’s Compound (China RealTime Report/Wall Street Journal)