When the spirit of Guangdong art meets the city of Shanghai, something remarkable happens. From October 18, 2025, to January 18, 2026, the "Reform Mission: Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition" will take over the Shanghai Art Museum as part of the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival and the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area Cultural Week (The GBA Cultural Week).
Featuring over 800 masterpieces by more than 350 artists across an exhibition area of 20,276 square meters, the show offers a panoramic view of Guangdong's artistic evolution over the past century — from the founding of the Lingnan School of Painting to the innovations of contemporary artists.
A dialogue between Lingnan and Haipai
This exhibition is more than a collection of artworks — it's a cross-century dialogue between Lingnan art (the southern Guangdong tradition) and Haipai culture (the cosmopolitan Shanghai school).
Over a hundred years ago, Lingnan masters Gao Jianfu, Gao Qifeng, and Chen Shuren opened an art house in Shanghai, launching one of China's most influential modern art movements. Their philosophy of "a fusion of East and West, a blend of old and new" became a hallmark of modern Chinese art.
Now, a century later, their artistic descendants return to Shanghai — not with brushes, but with hundreds of works that continue their mission to reform and renew.
Highlights across time and technology
The exhibition unfolds across seven main sections and three special topics, integrating historical documents, rare archives, and immersive multimedia installations.
One of the most striking features is the AI-powered immersive space, where classic Lingnan paintings come to life in motion and light. Digital reinterpretations of ink landscapes and floral scenes transform traditional brushwork into living, breathing experiences — bridging tradition and technology, past and present.
Cultural resonance between Guangdong and Shanghai
For Wang Shaoqiang, Director of the Guangdong Museum of Art, bringing this exhibition to Shanghai holds profound meaning: "Shanghai was once the starting point of the Lingnan School's artistic reform. Today, it's where we reconnect these creative spirits — showing how Guangdong's art continues to evolve, absorb, and inspire."
Through this exhibition, audiences are invited to trace the century-long journey of Guangdong art, witness how artists have captured China's revolution, development, and reform, and see how they have interpreted the pursuit of a better life through color, form, and imagination.
As one of the participating institutions, the Guangdong Museum of Art will also co-host a series of 12 public lectures, the Lingnan Cultural Masters Forum, featuring scholars and artists from across China.
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Video: Pan Jiajun
Poster: Li Fangwang
Editor: Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
