Artists pay homage to COVID-19 frontline workers

About 200 Shenzhen artists are sending hope and gratitude to the Chinese COVID-19 frontline workers through 215 artworks at Guan Shanyue Art Museum.

Paintings, sculptures, photographs and music videos depicting nurses, doctors, delivery men, cleaners, policemen and volunteers working tirelessly amid the outbreak are on display at the newly opened “We Are Together” exhibition.

A visitor takes photos at the “We Are Together” exhibition at Guan Shanyue Art Museum on Tuesday. The painting on the left was created by He Hua and the one on the right, created by Chen Xiangbo, is a portrait of Li Lanjuan. Photos by Cao Zhen

“Our collective memory of this time was recorded in the artworks. We selected the best ones from more than 5,000 entries for visitors to gaze at the beautiful and brave frontline workers’ contributions in fighting against the epidemic,” said Chen Xiangbo, director of Guan Shanyue Art Museum.

Chen is also exhibiting his large painting of 73-year-old Chinese epidemiologist Li Lanjuan’s face, which bears painful mask marks from long hours of work.

Local medical workers that traveled to epidemic-stricken Hubei Province to care for patients during the past two months were invited to the exhibition opening Tuesday. “We are not alone in the battle. These heart-warming works of art give us more confidence in the war on the virus,” said Yi Li, head of the medical department of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital.

A painting by Liu Wen and Liu Yibei.

While paintings portray doctors and nurses racing against time to save lives, photographs record common people doing everything they can to support and keep society going, be it factories working overtime to produce masks and supplies or citizens practicing social distancing.

The exhibition is hosted by the publicity department of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Shenzhen Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau, Shenzhen’s health commission, Shenzhen Literature and Art Association, Shenzhen Press Group, Shenzhen Media Group, and organized by Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen Fine Art Institute, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen Artists’ Association and Shenzhen Photographers’ Association.

“Some of the exhibits have been posted on WeChat and apps and we are encouraging people around the world to have more confidence in combating the pandemic,” said Zhang Heyun, director of the bureau.

Guan Shanyue Art Museum requires visitors to book their visits in advance. Visitors must wear a face mask while inside the museum and present their ID information and a personal health code from the WeChat miniapp “深i您” upon arrival.

Scan the QR code to book your visit.

Dates: Until April 26

Hours: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., 2-4:30 p.m., closed Mondays

Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Futian District (福田区关山月美术馆)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit F