Explore Guan Shanyue's artistic world by digital technology

The Guan Shanyue Art Museum is currently hosting “Tracing the Origins of Brushstroke —  Guan Shanyue’s Sketching Journey from an Aerospace Perspective,” a unique fusion of art and technology. This exhibition not only focuses on the personal growth and creative journey of the art master Guan Shanyue, but also uses precious manuscripts, original documents, and sketch drafts — enhanced by digital technology — to offer a panoramic view of his artistic world and creative logic.

A view of the exhibition at The Guan Shanyue Art Museum. Photos by Wu Yurui

Jointly curated by the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of Wuhan University and the Guan Shanyue Art Museum, the exhibition adopts a new “culture plus technology” curatorial model. It presents not only important landscape works and handwritten notes from different periods of Guan’s career but also, for the first time, uses digital humanities methods to create multidimensional links between the natural landscapes he visited, the historical events he witnessed, and the artistic strokes he left behind. Visitors can not only admire his brushwork but also “step into” the landscapes he painted via remote sensing maps, digital elevation models, and interactive screens.

The exhibition enhanced by digital technology.

The exhibition is divided into three main sections: “So Magnificent the Rivers and Mountains,” “Drifting with the Sounds of Water,” and “Cloud Dragons Lying on Coastal Lands.” These sections respectively showcase Guan’s journeys and evolving artworks in places such as Jinggang Mountain, the Li River, and the South China Sea. For example, elevation models of Jinggang Mountain are paired with 11 on-site sketches to reconstruct the revolutionary context in which he painted with the Red Army. Meanwhile, tidal imagery of the southern coastline is juxtaposed with his national defense-themed works, highlighting his expansive vision that saw landscapes as symbolic of the nation itself. 

The exhibition enhanced by digital technology.

A major highlight of the exhibition is the digital interaction zone. Here, a digital ink landscape generator can instantly create Guan-style landscapes. A projection wall overlays ink paths with satellite imagery, allowing visitors to experience the “journey from high-altitude terrain to pained detail.” International visitors can also understand the essence of the Lingnan painting tradition by the English documentaries the exhibition offered. 

A corner of the exhibition.

What moves audiences the most is the exhibition’s balance between academic depth and public engagement. It is not merely a “memorial show,” nor a “check-in for selfies.” Rather, it is a profound artistic journey tracing the very essence of brushwork — exploring how each stroke reflects the artist’s perception of rivers and mountains and his responses to the time. 

The exhibition also offers a sweeping retrospective of Guan’s artistic transformation — from Western-influenced painting to revolutionary Chinese landscapes — demonstrating great cultural depth. 

Dates: Through July 4

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets: Free (Advance reservation is required.)

Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, 6026 Hongli Road, Futian District (关山月美术馆)

Metro: Line 3, Lianhua Village Station (莲花村站), Exit D; Line 4, Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit B

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