Museum of Art launches exhibition of Chen Zhifo

Jointly organized by the Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Nanjing Museum, the exhibition “Quietness and Clarity: Works of Chen Zhifo from the Collection of the Nanjing Museum”, has been launched in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Museum of Art (MAM). The exhibition is currently being held on the fourth floor of MAM between August 24 to November 17 and is one of the integral programs of “Art Macau”.

This exhibition features a total of 166 works, including paintings, sculptures, sketches, manuscripts and painting tools by Chen Zhifo, which is the largest exhibit for now, according to the curator, Wan Xinhua, the deputy director of the Nanjing Museum.

Chen Zhifo (1896 – 1962) is a master of Chinese gongbi (“meticulous painting”) bird-
and-flower paintings, an expert in Chinese painting theory known for embracing both Eastern and Western cultures, and a pioneer of Chinese modern applied arts in 20th century.

Wan said that this exhibition is “very precious, featuring a practitioner [Chen Zhifo] on Chinese and Western culture [who] comes to the intersection of Chinese and Western culture, allowing people to experience the integration and exchange of different cultures.”

“Around 1949, China underwent great changes. Many artists like Chen Zhifo used brushes as weapons to express their feelings about that era. They have experienced the transformation process from art for art to art for life,” said Wan. “The exhibition consists of two exhibition halls – one with paintings and statues, and the other with manuscripts and sketches – the world behind the art of Chen Zhifo”.

Li Mingchang, deputy director of the Nanjing Museum, said, “in March 2018, the director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mu Xinxin and his entourage visited the Nanjing Museum to organize ‘Quietness and Clarity: Works of Chen Zhifo from the Collection of the Nanjing Museum’ in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the return of Macau. After more than a year of preparation, this exhibition was held. […] I am very grateful to the staff of the Macao Museum of Art for their efforts and support.”

MAM will hold various educational activities, including thematic talks, in September and October. Admission to these activities is free, according to the press release by the museum. Staff reporter