Touching: A Journey through Chinese Landscapes from the Xubaizhai Collection (Phase 1)

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Chinese landscape painting does not merely represent scenery, it also expresses the artist’s temperament and aspirations. Whether depicting a life in seclusion, illustrating lines of verse, portraying an imaginary spectacle, recording an excursion, revitalising traditional styles or offering a perspective on a scholar’s studio and garden, Chinese landscape artists create a world where the viewer is free to wander around and relax in the joys of nature. Scheduled in two phases and featuring over 50 works successively from the Xubaizhai collection, this exhibition provides an opportunity to explore the essence of Chinese landscape paintings, as they invite you to walk through their scenery, look around, take a journey and simply spend some time in their representations of nature.

The founder of the Xubaizhai Collection, Mr Low Chuck-tiew (1911-1993), was a renowned art connoisseur. He donated his considerable art collection to the HKMoA in earlier years. The Xubaizhai Collection comprises Chinese painting and calligraphy works dating from the fifth century to the 20th century, with particular strengths in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The first phase exhibition features 27 works from the Xubaizhai Chinese landscape collection which provides an opportunity for visitors to explore the essence of Chinese landscape paintings. With paintings as “tour guides”, six travelling routes are being introduced, leading visitors to discover different themes and literati sentiments revealed in Chinese landscape paintings, relax in the joys of nature and better understand the attitude to life of the ancients.