Exhibition spotlights freehand-style oil paintings

The “Cultural Inheritance” exhibition at the Guan Shanyue Art Museum showcases 111 freehand-style oil paintings by 111 Chinese artists, presenting a comprehensive look at contemporary Chinese freehand-style oil paintings and the academic achievements.

Visitors take photos at the oil painting exhibition at Guan Shanyue Art Museum. Photos courtesy of the art museum

Ever since the Western oil painting genre had arrived in China a century ago, Chinese artists have tried to develop a distinctive style that reflects Chinese aesthetics in their oil paintings. One approach they have taken is the freehand style that combines expressive and spontaneous brushwork with the texture of oil paint. The freehand-style oil paintings capture the essence of the subjects, but with an added depth and richness that the oil medium provides.

Visitors are drawn to oil paintings.

Initiated in 2015, the “Cultural Inheritance” exhibition has become one of the most important academic projects of the Guan Shanyue Art Museum. Through academic exchanges, research and touring exhibitions in Beijing, Wuhan, Xi’an and other cities, artists have showcased not only their rich painting language but also their continuous exploration of Chinese oil painting within the global cultural context.

“In the 1920s, Lin Fengmian, who studied painting in France, advocated for the integration of Chinese and Western styles. Then, in the 1960s, Chinese artists who had studied in the Soviet Union, such as Luo Gongliu, proposed the Chinese-style oil painting. Now, Chinese oil painters, inheriting the Chinese tradition, examine various aspects of life and express vibrant realities in their works,” said Chen Xiangbo, director of Guan Shanyue Art Museum.

A visitor takes photos at the exhibition at Guan Shanyue Art Museum. 

The Beijing Academy of Chinese Freehand-style Oil Painting, one of the organizers of the exhibition, has organized plein air painting and various activities since its establishment. The artists agree that freehand-style oil painting is rooted in the Chinese culture and has become the mainstream and trend in oil painting development.

String musicians perform at Guan Shanyue Art Museum last Saturday night.

On Saturday night, a string quartet concert was held at the oil painting exhibition, creating a multi-sensory experience for both art enthusiasts and music lovers. The elegant tunes added another layer of depth to the oil paintings, intensifying the emotional response of the viewers.

Dates: Until Oct. 6

Booking: WeChat account “gsyart”

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

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit F2