The Guangzhou Museum of Art (Guangzhou Gallery of Art) is presenting four major exhibitions from January to March 2026, covering Chinese animation history, classical and modern horse-themed artworks, contemporary art inspired by traditional masterpieces, and the artistic legacy of the Wen Zhengming family, offering audiences a rich and diverse cultural experience.
"The Dream Builders: Our Animation and Comics Era" runs from January 20 to March 20, 2026, across Halls 7, 8, and 9. The two-month exhibition is presented in three sections and features more than 350 exhibits, including original manuscripts from classics such as "The Wonderings of Sanmao" and "Havoc in Heaven", alongside original works from Disney, Marvel, and DC, as well as pieces by leading Chinese creators including Xia Da, Benjamin, and Jin Cheng. Screening areas and interactive programs invite visitors to trace the evolution of Chinese animation from its early beginnings to today's thriving industry.
To welcome the Year of the Horse, the museum will launch "Youth in Splendor: Steed-themed New Year Special Exhibition" on January 22, 2026, in Hall 3, running through March 22. The exhibition brings together 52 sets of horse-themed works from the Ming dynasty to the present, spanning Chinese painting, oil painting, sculpture, and video. Highlights include Guangdong-born painter Zhang Mu's Ming-dynasty masterpiece Seventy Fine Steeds, a national first-grade cultural relic and one of the museum's signature treasures, as well as iconic horse paintings by renowned artists Xu Beihong, Gao Jianfu, and Yang Shanshen.
"Mountains Echo, Valleys Respond—Contemporary Art Practice Inspired by the Painting of Shixin Peak" is on view from January 20 to March 22, 2026, in Halls 10 and 11 on the third floor. As the third installment of a forward-looking exhibition series, it features works by six young artists—Lin Yusi, Huang Xiaojie, Xiao Haisheng, Huang Ji, Zhao Taotao, and Ma Wenyi—who explore dialogues between tradition and contemporaneity. The exhibition includes individual creations across multiple media and reimagined interpretations of the Qing-dynasty masterpiece Shixin Peak by Hongren from the museum's collection.
Running through February 22, 2026, "The Tingyun Legacy of Artistic Lineage: Exhibition of Paintings and Calligraphies by the Wen Zhengming Family" presents 69 sets of works by ten members of the Wen family. Organized into five sections, the exhibition traces the artistic lineage from Wen Zhengming to later generations, highlighting the family's enduring influence on Ming and Qing painting traditions and their lasting role in the transmission of Chinese cultural heritage.
If you go:
Venue: Guangzhou Museum of Art (Guangzhou Gallery of Art) 广州艺术博物院（广州美术馆）
Metro access:
Line 12: Chigang Pagoda Station (赤岗塔站), Exit B, about a 1-minute walk
Line 3 & APM Line: Canton Tower Station (广州塔站), Exit B, about a 12-minute walk
Line 3 & Line 8: Kecun Station (客村站), Exit A, about a 15-minute walk
Author | Liu Lingzhi
Photo | Guangzhou Museum of Art
Editor | James Campion, Shen He
