Dafen Oil Painting Village
Longgang, Shenzhen
A village where thousands of painters hand-copy and reimagine every masterpiece in history.
Dafen is a whole neighborhood devoted to hand-painted art. Thousands of painters work storefront studios, recreating Van Goghs, commissioning family portraits, and selling original canvases by the square meter.
Browse the main street, commission a portrait for a few hundred yuan, and watch the painters work. This is kitsch and brilliance in equal measure, and the souvenir potential is unmatched.
Best for: A one-of-a-kind souvenir and a look inside China's art industry.
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