What's on

Skill of engraving

Seal engraving constitutes an essential part of traditional Chinese culture. Scholars in ancient times enjoyed commissioning and designing tailor-made seals carved with names and pseudonyms. These engraved characters also provide clues to the evolution of Chinese characters for historians.

An exhibition at the Chinese Traditional Cultural Museum focuses on the features of engraved seals and characters of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). It reflects the intensified studies of Qin-era seal art in recent years motivated by many seals and bamboo and wood slips found in archaeological excavations, as well as the studies of ancient characters.

On show are Qin seals, pottery models and works engraved by modern seal artists influenced by Qin characters. The exhibition runs until Nov 15.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 16 Hujing Donglu, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-8799-1766.

Figure themes

A hermit fishes alone in the cold winter; a scholar enjoys a private moment in his study to appreciate the porcelain he has collected; women of a well-to-do family play with puppies in a hall richly decorated with cultural objects — recurring motifs in the figure style of classic Chinese painting. In his works, ink artist Huang Huasan renders a modern touch to these themes.

Huang's ongoing exhibition A Straw Shows Which Way the Wind Blows at the National Art Museum of China reflects his endeavors in the figure paintings of traditional style. The works exemplify his attention to detail, conveying poetic emotions. The exhibition ends on Nov 15.

Huang studied plastic arts in Germany, which taught him how to blend color applications and a contrast between the light and shadow of Western art into his creations.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6400-1476.

Close connections

Since its establishment in 1976, Shenzhen Art Museum has enriched the cultural life of the people of Shenzhen, a vibrant city in Guangdong province that is settled by people from across the country. The museum has built links with artists who work and exhibit in Shenzhen, with many of the works contributing to the city's art scene.

In June, the exhibition Mementos opened to show these artists' gifts. The exhibition has entered the second phase, replacing the exhibits with new ones, on show until Feb 16.

Classic Chinese paintings include major movements thriving in the 20th century, such as the Haipai (Shanghai), Lingnan (Guangdong province) and Chang'an (Shaanxi province) schools of painting. There are also calligraphic works and letters between the museum's staff members and the artists.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 32 Donghu Yijie, inside Donghu Park, Aiguo Lu, Luohu district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province. 0755-2542-6069.

Digital space

The second installment of the SeeD Pilot Project Exhibition returned to Shenzhen's Longcheng Creativity Community. The exhibition runs until Feb 26, gathering the works of 10 artists and artists' groups. It discusses people's critical thinking capabilities in the digital age, in which various life aspects are deeply influenced by artificial intelligence.

Launched in 2023, the SeeD Pilot Project Exhibition creates platforms for creative talent and digital artists. Curated by Liu Xiaodu, the exhibition, while embracing the intensified integration of digital art in life, shows works that engage in a discussion on the values of men.

10 am-8 pm, closed on Mondays. Dazhi Lu, Longcheng Jiedao (subdistrict), Longgang district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province.