Wu Guanzhong: Ink Meets Modernism

Description

The artistic journey of Wu Guanzhong (1919–2010) brought him across more than 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and America. He drew inspiration from everyday scenes far beyond Jiangnan and broadened his vision while deepening his signature blend of Chinese ink and Western modernism. Through Wu’s works such as “The Night of Oslo” and the newly shown “A Foreign Landscape (II),” visitors can witness the artist’s evolution from figurative observation to bold abstraction in Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship Thematic Exhibition Series: Wu Guanzhong: Encountering Landscapes.

Hong Kong holds a special place in this story, represented by works like “Victoria Harbour,” his only publicly painted sketch created in the rain at HKMoA, and “Bird Street,” capturing the city’s historic streetscapes.

The exhibition forms part of a wider initiative to further engage Wu’s art with the public, including artist Flyingpig’s immersive installation Light Entry — inspired by Wu’s “The Window’s Eye,” illustrating the humanistic sentiment behind the urban landscape. Over the coming two years, the Art Journey with Wu Guanzhong: Mobile Museum bus will visit schools and public spaces across Hong Kong with interactive multimedia sharing Wu’s aesthetic ideals.

Alongside this exhibition, two other concurrent shows feature at the museum during this period including Fantastic Breeze: Selected Fans from the Jingguanlou Collection and Mini-figures in Paintings.