Poster of Reform Mission: Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition
South China's Guangdong province will be the Guest of Honor at the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF 24) with a special Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Cultural Week from October 18 to November 15.
As the Cultural Week's centerpiece, Reform Mission: Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition will open at Shanghai Art Museum from October 18, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Featuring around 800 works by over 350 artists from the Lingnan region, including Guangdong, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Hainan, and parts of Yunnan and Fujian, the exhibition spans Chinese painting, oil, printmaking, sculpture, and watercolor, offering a panoramic view of Guangdong's artistic evolution and its impact on modern Chinese art.
Selected works on display
The exhibition brings together seven thematic sections, each following a milestone in Guangdong's art history, including the Western Painting Movement in Guangdong, the New Woodcut Movement, and early Chinese comics. Additionally, three special sections are featured: dedicated showcases of two leading Lingnan School artists, Guan Shanyue and Li Xiongcai, and a special exhibition of historical documents tracing the development of Guangdong art.
Selected works on display
Highlights include:
1. 33-meter-tall immersive digital gallery
Using ink animations, dynamic projections, holograms, and 3D effects, this gallery animates classic Lingnan School works and allows visitors to interact with the art.
Concept illustration of the digital gallery
2. 12 expert lectures exploring Lingnan culture and art
The Guangdong Museum of Art and Shanghai Art Museum will jointly host 12 in-depth sessions on Lingnan culture, art, and cross-regional exchange. Leading scholars and cultural experts from across China will guide audiences in engaging with the exhibition and gaining a deeper understanding of its themes.
Photo of the first lecture
3. 300-meter-long thematic corridor
Chronologically presents a century of Guangdong art milestones, key works, and landmark exhibitions, offering a comprehensive view of regional artistic development.
4. Interactive zone highlighting Lingnan traditional culture
The interactive zone invites visitors to sample iconic Cantonese cuisine and explore creative products.
The exhibition also highlights Guangdong-Shanghai cultural exchanges over the past century, demonstrating how regional dialogue shapes evolving artistic landscapes today.
Exhibition info board under Shanghai night light
To learn more about CSIAF 24 and the GBA Cultural Week:
Guangdong to take center stage at Shanghai International Arts Festival with GBA Cultural Week
Reporter | Li Muzi
Photo | Guangdong Museum of Art
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
