The writing is on the wall for a well-known village in southern China, which boasts numerous studios and art galleries crammed into tight streets and extensive winding paths. These establishments sell both their own creations and hand-painted replicas of renowned artworks.
However, numerous local craftsmen in Dafen village continue to wield their brushes instead of setting them aside. Walking around the area reveals many of these artists engaged with their canvases, meticulously focusing on each stroke to produce lifelike landscapes and portraits.
The 0.4-square-kilometer (0.15-square-mile) urban village was formerly known as a global center for oil painting replicas. Now located on the fringes of technology hub Shenzhen, Dafen is largely peaceful—unlike its past hustle and bustle. The village feels the effects of China’s economic slowdown through reduced pedestrian activity and fewer online purchases. This situation is further exacerbated by China’s swift progress in artificial intelligence (AI).
Are you curious about the most significant issues and global trends? Find out here. SCMP Knowledge Our latest platform offers handpicked content including explainers, FAQs, analyses, and infographics, all provided by our acclaimed team.
During the 1990s and 2000s, a significant number of migrant laborers – often toiling without shirts around the clock – were engaged in producing assembly line replicas of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and various other renowned artists.
During its height between roughly 2005 and 2008, Dafen village allegedly accounted for around 60 percent of the global oil painting market. To maximize productivity, artists worked methodically like assembling a vehicle piece by piece. Every individual artist focused solely on their specific segment—a monotonous yet refined skill honed through repetition—before passing it along the assembly line.
The model flourished, and the artworks were sold.
When the global financial crisis struck, orders from Europe and the U.S. declined sharply. However, China’s property market continued to thrive, driving up the demand for artwork to adorn these newly built spaces. This surge in interest came mainly from domestic hotels and burgeoning middle-class families, making them Dafen’s main clientele during this period.
Artists modified their techniques to align with regional tastes—formerly beloved Western masterpieces such as The Starry Night and Irises Van Gogh’s works were pushed into gallery corners, fetching prices as low as just a few dozen yuan.
However, over the past four to five years, China experienced a significant downturn in the real estate sector, which severely impacted the property market. Simultaneously, global economies struggled due to the pandemic. These dual challenges led to a sharp decline in orders for Dafen.
Nowadays, consumers often purchase innovative and ornamental artworks that align with the prevailing trends seen in both hotels and residential spaces.
Facing these significant hurdles, the local administration aims to turn the village into an "AI Oil Painting Center." Here, artificial intelligence will create remarkable designs instantly, and domestically produced inkjet printers will generate textured, hand-painted style oil artworks in just 15 minutes.
On March 25, OpenAI launched an update for ChatGPT that enables it to produce manga-style artwork inspired by artists like Fujiko F. Fujio, Studio Ghibli, and Akira Toriyama, igniting a worldwide sensation.
This technological progress has caused numerous painters in Dafen to feel disheartened and bewildered, as though the village is shedding tears amid these transformative times.
"Ours are already bargain basement prices; we sell larger pieces, sized at 90x120 cm and hand-painted, starting from as low as 1,000 or 2,000 yuan (approximately US$275). Smaller artworks retail for merely 200 or 300 yuan each," explained Xu Cheng, who owns Lianghua Gallery. Struggling to sustain his enterprise amidst poor sales and facing a monthly rental fee exceeding 5,000 yuan, Xu manages the gallery alone along with being its exclusive artist.
"Oil paintings serve as decorations rather than essentials. Without individuals purchasing or relocating to new residences, there is little demand for artwork," he stated, noting that the situation has deteriorated further compared to conditions during the pandemic.
Xu acknowledged that the economic downturn, lack of strong domestic consumption, and the decline in the property market have severely affected Dafen. The implications of AI's influence is something that both he and others haven't had the chance to contemplate yet.
On the contrary, gallery owner Annie Wei has started incorporating AI into her business. Recently, she employed AI to create Christ-themed artworks adapted for an East Asian audience. These pieces were subsequently painted by human artists and sold to a buyer in Hong Kong for 5,800 yuan. Nonetheless, with many rivals adopting this approach, prices have fallen significantly; comparable artwork now sells for around 3,000 yuan.
As the market declines, numerous studios have shifted towards tourism, providing oil painting classes starting from just 30 yuan to draw more tourists. In the past, Dafen prospered using assembly-line methods that reduced both time and expenses, enabling Western homes to obtain bespoke oil paintings. However, according to Zhou Yongjiu, a painter who moved to Dafen back in 1991 and has witnessed this long-term change firsthand, recent advances in artificial intelligence allow individuals to produce personalized artwork at an even cheaper price with merely their computers.
Zhou appeared in the documentary China's Van Goghs , which was showcased at various international film festivals such as the 48th Vision du Réel in Switzerland, the TRT Documentary Awards in Turkey, and the New Zealand International Film Festival.
He once employed dozens of painters. Together, they reproduced more than 300,000 masterpieces, including Van Gogh's Sunflowers Now, he stands alone, committed to moving forward with genuine and unique creations.
"There simply aren't enough orders to sustain such a large number of people anymore," Zhou stated. While he retains some devoted clients, AI poses a significant challenge for many in Difen.
He pondered as people grow more receptive to AI-created art, what might the future entail for us.
As for Zhou, he stated that he has no intention of utilizing AI technology, particularly at this stage in his career, after perfecting his skills over many years.
"I spent a lot of time transitioning from imitating others to developing my own style with paint," Zhou mentioned.
More Articles from SCMP
Comedian Katherine Ryan's spouse, Bobby Kootstra—who was once her high school sweethearts—is involved in broadcasting. They are bringing up three kids as a family.
Key behind Trump’s 'insane' tariffs, unintended envoy IShowSpeed: SCMP daily summaries
Is China’s 'major reaction' to Trump's tariffs marking the end of prospects for substantial negotiations?
Malaysia’s electronics industry faces threats as specialists criticize Trump’s 'magic' tariffs
The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which serves as the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
Copyright © 2025. South ChinaMorning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
