The beauty of drama, the vivid expression and bold outline of Chinese classical drawing, the exaggeration and deformation of western contemporary painting... We can see a convergence of these elements in paintings of Guan Liang, a Chinese painter.

“Roam in Eastern and Western Art: A Research Exhibition on Guan Liang's Style Evolution”, an exhibition curated by the Guangdong Museum of Art, is on show in Guangzhou from August 17 to October 9.

(Photo: Guangdong Museum of Art)

Guan Liang, born in 1900 in Panyu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong province, is an indispensable master of modern Chinese painting. His ink wash paintings are noted for their features of being naive and clumsy, just like children's paintings. That is most prominently displayed in in his figure modeling.

(Photo: Guangdong Museum of Art)

In 1917, he traveled to Tokyo to study oil painting. He was influenced by Western artists like Henri Matisse and Vincent van Gogh, while many elements of Chinese traditional culture appeared in his oil paintings.

After returning to China, Guan began to learn Chinese painting. He is considered to be the first artist to introduce western painting techniques to traditional ink wash painting and is known for his unique portrayal of Peking opera figures. His representative works include “Stealing the Royal Horse (盗御马)” and “Farewell my Concubine (霸王别姬)”, both of which are the scenes of traditional Peking Operas.

The exhibition displays oil paintings, ink wash paintings, articles, historical documents, photos and other materials of Guan and his friends. Meanwhile, the exhibition will also show cultural events related to Guan Liang's artistic creation thoughts, with a view to presenting his works as well as personal image in different historical periods.

(Photo: Guangdong Museum of Art)

Tickets: Free

Time: 9:00-17:00 (closed on Mondays), August 27 to October 9, 2021

Venue: Galleries No.1, 2, 3, 4, Guangdong Museum of Art

Add.: No.38, Yanyu Road, Ersha Island, Guangzhou (广州市二沙岛烟雨路38号)

Transportation: Take Metro Line 5 and get off at Wuyangcun Station (五羊邨站), use Exit B, and then take Bus No. B21, 89, 781 or 194 at Guangzhou Daqiaobei Station, get off at Ershadong Station.

How to participate: Please line up at the entrance of the museum with your passport to register your personal information and health condition before entry.

Author | Holly

Editor | Keane, Will, Jerry