What's on

Success by design

Lei Guiyuan (1906-89) is considered the father of modern Chinese design. He heralded the modernization of Chinese design, founded the country's first designer group, the Shanghai Industrial Artists Association, in 1934, and published several books on the subject based on his study of traditional handicrafts and antiques.

He was also dedicated to the cultivation of homegrown designers, serving as the first deputy head of the Central Academy of Arts and Design, now Tsinghua University's Academy of Arts and Design.

Salute to Design, at the Guan Shanyue Art Museum, in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, reviews Lei's accomplishments, showing his manuscripts, drafts, paintings, calligraphic pieces, ceramics and textiles based on his designs. The exhibition runs until May 25.

Lei lived in France for two years in the late 1920s. He also reached out to the Chinese tradition for inspiration. By mixing the East and the West, he hoped his work, as a designer and a teacher, could modernize the look of his country, and create new lifestyles for his people. He believed that whether it is about carrying forward traditions or learning from other cultures, designs should first cater to daily needs.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays.6026 Hongli Lu, Futian district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province.0755-8306-3086.

World of animation

Qi Baishi (1864-1957), one of the foremost ink artists of 20th-century China, left an immense body of paintings of varied motifs including landscapes, figures and small lives in nature. The last category has remained the most popular among Qi's followers who are delighted with creatures such as shrimps, chickens and insects in which the artist injected vigor and his take on life.

Beijing Fine Art Academy, which houses a rich collection of Qi's works, has invited three students from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Liaoning province, to curate an exhibition at the academy's art museum, titled Small Fish Cares.

It highlights the perspective of the younger generation of appreciating Qi's art in a new context. The trio have introduced animation and installations to allow visitors to understand Qi's perspective of the natural world in his garden, as well as that of the fishes in his pond. The exhibition runs until June 15.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays.12 Chaoyang Gongyuan (Park) Nan Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6502-5171.

Feast for the eyes

Tianjin Museum is celebrating the history, variety and creativity of China's lacquer art at Chromatic Splendours of Lacquer Art, a long-term show of selected lacquer objects in its assembly of art and crafts.

Lacquer wares stand in evidence of the advances of human intelligence to utilize the juice of nature, manual dexterity and imagination.

The exhibition focuses on the complicated working procedures and a variety of techniques that have been developed in different regions and of various time periods, including the tools for use and how the raw lacquer would be processed. It focuses on the time and patience artists have to invest in their work.

9 am-4:30 pm, closed on Mondays. 62 Pingjiang Dao, Hexi district, Tianjin. 022-8388-3000.

China Daily