by Liu Haisu Art Museum 

Exhibition Catalogue

FIRST EDITION

Published by KOGART, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, 2017

Language: En/Chin

123 pages

21 x 28 cm

The coloured ink drawings that represent characters from Chinese theatre lie at the intersection of two traditional art forms, as painters provide the heroes of drama with a new life. The dramatis personae of history and legends can be seen in special theatrical moments, expanded to symbolic importance. Yet they are contemporary reflections: today’s artists seek new viewpoints between tradition and modernity, a tension that is also one of the most involved problems of Chinese culture, one that is again provoking debate more and more often. This exhibition offers a momentary insight into this dynamic discourse, which never stops searching for new answers.

Chinese Opera is often portrayed in other art forms, including wall paintings and shadow plays. The combination of music, dancing and gymnastic performances makes it a colorful subject, while it is also a tool to convey the history of China and other symbolic themes.

In recent years, many Chinese Southern School (literati) painters depicted the opera in ink paintings. This exhibition showcases some such works.