Transformation: from poetic to realistic —— Modern Chinese Art from HEM Collection

In traditional Chinese painting, artists were attracted to poetic landscapes. In the 20th century, Chinese landscape painting followed the historical cannon in a more contemporary way that transcend the established path of poetic depictions and transformed into a new look at the landscapes with modern characteristics. This shift from the ideal of solitude to the heroic expression of nature is based on the social background of the development and construction of the new China in full swing, as well as the timely adjustment made by the artist when facing the urgent mission to transform Chinese painting. If the "landscape" is the continuation of historical tradition, then "mountain and river" is undoubtedly a metaphor of the patriotic emotion.

This exhibition enlists several Chinese artists as the entry point, to show a glimpse of the exploration of artists including Fu Baoshi, Li Keran and Guan Shanyue in their artistic creations. Their works bear the distinctive mark of the time. The artistic creations from different periods are examined in a coherent manner, outlining the modern transformation of modern Chinese landscape painting and the spirit of change that embodied with the brush and ink.