Industrial cluster of Dafen Oil Painting Village

 

In the late 1990s, thanks to the growing number of art workers and artists, the sales of oil paintings began to break the single channel of dealer purchase. Some dealers and artists decided to sell paintings directly to the public. They opened galleries in the houses that looked over the street. As time passed by, several large specialized markets have emerged, such as Huangjiang Oil Painting Trading Square, Maoye Trading Square of Calligraphic and Painting Works, Dafen Oil Painting Trading Square, Dafen Louvre, etc. Naturally, news media discovered the special village and began to report intensively. From then on, Dafen was named as Oil Painting Village.

 

 

 Media reports drew the attation of the local government. From 1998, the goveroments at Longgang District level and Buji Town level started to instruct the oil painting industry and upgrade the environment in the village. Gradually, old rural landscapes disappeared, urban styles and artistc features were introduced into the village. After the first round of upgrading, more than 100 new galleries of oil paintings opened business, which helped to form a quite large scale of speciallized trading market in the village.

 

In the history of Dafen Oil Painting Village, the year of 2004 is the milestone in its development. In the year, Dafen was elected as the only ICIF brance. The 1000 artists' on-site oil painting show made a world Guinness Record. Thanks to hosting the first ICIF branch, the unique industrial model of the village is extensively reported by the media. Also since then, Dafen Oil Paintings have rapidly gained reputation and influence as a new cultural industry. Dafen's story becomes well known. More and more media organizations and vistors have flocked to the village, which quickly adds to Dafen's credit.