Step into Liang Xingsheng's 'Realm of Innocence'

Art enthusiasts can admire Liang Xingsheng’s paintings at “Realm of Innocence: Liang Xingsheng Figure Painting Exhibition” at the Guan Shanyue Art Museum.

A lecturer at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Liang earned his master’s degree at the same institution. At the exhibition, visitors may be drawn to a series of child-themed paintings. From his own children to those he has encountered, Liang meticulously captures various states of childhood, portraying the innocence of early life. At first glance, viewers may feel nostalgic, but the works often prompt a deeper reexamination of one’s life journey and values.

A painting created by Liang Xingsheng in 2024. Photos courtesy of Guan Shanyue Art Museum

A painting created by Liang Xingsheng in 2025.

Liang’s portraits of mentors, friends, and himself span from realistic to expressive freehand styles, with some compositions leaning toward semi-abstract forms that convey a distinctive sensibility. Through careful composition, color, and ink, he probes his subjects’ inner worlds while reflecting social realities, fragments of contemporary life, and the many facets of the world.

The exhibition curator Lai Zhiqiang, an associate researcher at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, explained that the exhibition title “Realm of Innocence” refers both to the child-centered works and to Liang’s artistic philosophy: painting as a small, protected realm insulated from worldly chaos, a path from the self to the universe. 

A painting created by Liang Xingsheng in 2012.

A painting created by Liang Xingsheng in 2020.

Lai also noted that in recent years Liang has reached new heights in integrating ink, color, and line. In his ink figure paintings, he amplifies the effects of color while exploring the textured possibilities of ink diffusion, and his line work has shifted from bold strokes to delicate precision.

Dates: Through Sept. 14

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

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