Monitors of change
On display are more than 200 paintings and calligraphic works from the museum's collection, through which one can look back on the modernist revolution of Chinese art. This began in the late 19th century and proceeded throughout the 20th century.
And it is a masters' show. The 14 artists featured at the exhibition made progressive endeavors to rejuvenate Chinese painting during the clash of Eastern and Western cultures. Each of them generates pages in any book on the history of modern Chinese art.
Some of them demonstrate their creativity through the traditional Chinese medium of ink paintings. These include He Shaoji who is recognized as the top calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and Zhao Zhiqian whose artistic style anticipated the establishment of the Haipai (or Shanghai) School of Painting. Works by the school's forerunners such as Ren Bonian and Wu Changshuo are also exhibited.
Their works are an exploration of how to modernize Chinese art traditions, so they embrace the diverse interests of the emerging middle-class in the city at that time.
Works on display include paintings by Qi Baishi, Fu Baoshi and Li Keran, which mark their breakthroughs in integrating Western styles in the three major genres of classical Chinese ink painting - flower and bird, mountain and water, and figures.
