Wu Guanzhong (1919–2010) stands as one of the most important artists of twentieth-century China. He was highly prolific both in oil and ink painting and is well known for his eloquent writings on art and creativity. For this exhibition, over 50 paintings spanning the mid-1970s to 2004 have been selected that focus on his best works in the medium of ink.
Revolutionary Ink: The Paintings of Wu Guanzhong is organized by Asia Society in collaboration with the Shanghai Art Museum, to which the artist gave many of his works. The exhibition traces the development of Wu’s work, and emphasizes his radical individual approach to the medium of ink painting and how it went against the trend at a time when most artists were looking to western art as a model. The inclusion of a Chinese hanging scroll painting from the fifteenth century illustrates the long tradition of ink painting in China. The exhibition shows Wu’s legacy as a modern master who pushes the boundaries of our understanding of how a traditional medium of ink can be made new for a new century.
The exhibition is curated by Melissa Chiu of Asia Society and Lu Huan of Shanghai Art Museum. It is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue, with an essay by leading Chinese and American scholars as well as essays by the artist translated for the first time into English.
Revolutionary Ink: The Paintings of Wu Guanzhong is organized by Asia Society Museum and the Shanghai Art Museum, one of China’s leading cultural institutions. The museum has been the main venue of the international Shanghai Biennale exhibition since 1996 and draws global attention to a city that has become one of the country’s most important art centers.