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3standardstoppage, New York / Beijing. Piercing the art bubble and evolving past standards

3standardstoppage breaks through the existing methodologies of art, design and fashion. It builds a bridge of dialogue between the United States and China

San Francisco Art Institute

In 2016, three graduates of the San Francisco Art Institute decided to «break through the existing methodology on art, design and fashion». They, therefore, opened a multidisciplinary studio for artists, book publishers, fashion designers and musicians, 3standardstoppage.

Shisi Huang, Xiao Yong, and Nanxi Zhou took inspiration for the project from Marcel Duchamp’s piece in the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Duchamp changed a one-meter unit of measure from a straight line to a curved one. He dropped three meter-long threads from a height of one meter and preserved their form and length using varnish. For them, Duchamp’s oeuvre 3 Standard Stoppages represents the idea that all standards of measurements are «an intellectual construct, rather than an absolute».

To better explain the idea behind the studio, Shisi Huang underlines the importance of the San Francisco Art Institute. The place where it all started. The establishment is one of the oldest contemporary art schools in the United States with a long list of alumni with an impeccable reputation. It was founded in 1871 and it is now situated in a luxurious residential area of the Russian Hill. Piercing this bubble has become possible for the founders with a lot of reflection and self-criticism. 

Lampoon review: 3standardstoppage in Beijing and New York

Originally based in San Francisco, the studio now has two locations, Beijing and New York. The two spaces are still as different as the two cities hosting them. The first, called Postpost, is located in one of the Beijing Hutongs, narrow historical streets considered a part of the Chinese cultural heritage. As Shisi Huang explains, «the name has many layers of meaning. Post office, receiving a post, an Instagram post, defining post. 3standardstoppage 1.0 with a new location and functions».

The bigger space, the Beijing studio, hard to find even with a GPS, has a coffee shop and exhibition space. While, New York’s storefront, located in East Village, is smaller. It hosts a variety of books, design objects scattered throughout, a coffee lab as well as an art space utilized as an events and exhibitions area. The atmosphere here is welcoming and relaxed compared to the studio’s secret spot for a few in Beijing. Customers reading books and magazines, debating about photography and art, and exchanging conversations about the pieces they have just tried have become a feature of both places.

3standardstoppage’s vision

Huang reveals how the 3standardstoppage she co-founded is aiming to «create chemistry» and foster a creative exchange among visitors. Photographers, artists, art and design students, fashion lovers, and tourists passing by, in fact, are free to intervene in the dialogue and express ideas, «making harmony out of chaos». Satisfying customer’s needs is also one of the objectives of the studio.

«In the beginning, we chose everything based on personal experiences. For art books and publishers, we selected from our readings. While, for fashion brands, mainly from mine and Nanxi’s personal preferences and buying experience. We loved clothes and bought a lot of items together during our school time. Over four years have passed since we founded this studio. Now we are more mature in making choices and decisions».

Independent publisher: 3standardstoppage

What is in the pipeline for the studio? Staying independent in decision making despite any financial challenges connected with being located in cities such as New York and Beijing. The Beijing store has recently opened a new reading room. Also, the studio curated a virtual event series and has several publishing projects coming up. In a quest to find new artistic languages and synergies, last year Huang curated the Bungee Project, a subsidiary of 3standardstoppage.

An experimental program that creates «a self-sustaining ecology system. The Bungee Project takes on the role for further thinking, exploring and archiving the path of building variable intellectual constructs from the standard ruler». The project’s space on Canal St is functioning as a designer clothing boutique, art space and bookshop, showroom as well as a live music house. With their projects and ideas, the founders of 3standardstoppage are walking down the path to «interdisciplinary community. The aim is to support international creative intellectuals building a cultural bridge between the US and China».

3standardstoppage

82 E 3rd St, New York, New York. Post , Yangrou Hutong No.58, Beijing. 3standardstoppage studio is an interdisciplinary studio launched in 2016 in San Francisco by Shisi Huang, Xiao Yong and Nanxi Zhou. The three Studio Arts MFA graduates from San Francisco Art Institute focus on installation arts, photography and film. As a diversified curated platform for artists, designers and life lovers, the three also endeavor to redefine retail concepts, creating unique crossover collaborations among art, design, publication and fashion.

Veronika Dzhioeva

The writer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article.

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