Opened in 2005 to much fanfare, Galleria Continua is known in Beijing for its consistently well-curated and impressive exhibitions. It was the first foreign gallery to focus on bringing international contemporary artists to China with the goal of furthering the dialogue between contemporary artists in the East and West. The inaugural exhibition in its 1,000sqm former factory location in Dashanzi 798 featured the works of notable Western artists rarely seen in China including Daniel Buren, Loris Cecchini, Lucy + Jorge Orta, Pascale Marthine Tayou, and Anish Kapoor. Originally from San Gimignano in Italy, the gallery also now has an outpost near Paris.