Two unique Chinese art exhibitions revive tradition

Among the 10 exhibitions at the Shenzhen Art Museum’s new venue in Longhua District, two prominently showcase elements of traditional Chinese culture with striking visual appeal.

“The Glories of the Black Soil” exhibition features exquisite paper-cutting works by artists from Fangzheng County, located in Harbin City in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province.

This traditional folk craft, nurtured by the fertile black soil of the north, is over 200 years old. Centered on rural life and folk customs, Fangzheng paper-cutting is celebrated for its vivid, expressive representations and was designated as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Visitors admire paper-cutting works at Shenzhen Art Museum. Photos by Cao Zhen

Visitors admire paper-cutting works from Fangzheng County in Heilongjiang Province.

Some of the exhibits date back to the 1920s, with artisans using scissors to create intricate patterns that depict scenes of rustic life, expressing their yearning for a better life. The exhibition halls are adorned with large paper-cutting-inspired installations, enticing visitors to take photos during the Spring Festival for good luck in the New Year.

In celebration of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, the exhibition features an array of sports-themed acrylic artworks crafted in a paper-cutting style that are suspended from the ceiling. These blue or white acrylic pieces, which blend traditional and modern elements, resemble flying snowflakes at first. However, upon closer inspection, visitors can discern various athletic postures that evoke images of ethereal figures dancing in a winter wonderland.

Visitors admire sports-themed acrylic pieces crafted in a paper-cutting style.

Visitors admire a Chinese character artwork created by Wang Dongling. 

The “Journey From the Wilderness: Contemporary Chinese Character Art Exhibition” showcases unconventional calligraphic works by renowned contemporary artists Wang Dongling, Xu Bing, Ren Rong, and Wei Ligang. The four artists infuse their distinctive styles into the beauty of Chinese characters, transforming traditional writing into contemporary artistic expression and breathing new life into these symbols.

Visitors admire Chinese character artworks created by Wei Ligang.

A boy immerses himself in a digital work created by Wei Ligang.

Chinese characters are at the heart of Chinese culture, serving as carriers of cultural heritage and symbols of Chinese civilization. This exhibition offers visitors a fresh perspective on Chinese calligraphy, as this traditional art form is reimagined through installations, video art, and digital media. 

Whether standing beneath Wang’s calligraphic works on enormous sheets of paper or playing with light and shadow amid Ren’s Chinese-character installations, visitors will be captivated by the creations of these artists, which have revitalized the cultural value and historical significance of Chinese characters.

Visitors take photos of a Chinese character art intallation created by Ren Rong.

Visitors walk past Chinese character art intallations created by Ren Rong.

The paper-cutting exhibition runs through May 11, while the Chinese character art exhibition concludes on March 11. Entry is free.

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mondays

Venue: Shenzhen Art Museum (new venue), Longhua District (深圳美术馆新馆)

Metro: Line 4 or 6 to Hongshan Station (红山站), Exit A1