This exhibition showcases two great artistic masters from the East and the West - Lin Fengmian and Pablo Picasso, presenting several artworks they created during specific periods. It aims to offer a glimpse of the whole picture and jointly display the 20th-century modern art of the East and the West from a brand new perspective, enabling viewers to break through the shackles of space and observe the similarities and differences of the two art styles each born in two different environments, in different locations but at the same time here and now in parallel.
Lin Fengmian, after returning to China from France, devoted himself to art education and served as the headmaster of an art school. He is a pioneer of modern art education in China and also a leader of modern art in the country. His works ingeniously blend Chinese and Western elements, possessing both the poetic and implicit charm of the East and the bold innovation of the West, injecting vitality into the development of modern Chinese painting with his unique style.
Pablo Picasso, a legendary master of modern art, is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern art together with Henri Matisse. He created a vast number of works throughout his life with ever-changing styles. From the compassion in his Blue Period to the shocking innovation of Cubism, he constantly challenged traditions and opened up a new pattern for modern art. In his later years, his ceramic creations also returned to his childhood ideals.
The exhibition selects some of their classic works. For example, Lin Fengmian's Fishing Village uses the structure of Cubism and the light and shadow of Impressionism to outline the artistic conception of the East. Another example is Picasso's ceramic work Owl, which creates a distinctive totem from a childlike and interesting perspective.
The exhibition sets up the life timelines of the two artistic masters in the "Timeline Corridor", making a parallel comparison of the artistic trajectories of the two artists in different environments during the same era, allowing viewers to intuitively feel the impact of different cultural backgrounds on their artistic creations.
This exhibition not only hopes to help viewers understand the positions of these two great masters of art from the East and the West, but also hopes to inspire viewers' thinking - what common influences did they respectively receive? What different choices did they make? And what contributions did they make to the development of art in later generations?
Welcome to this exhibition "Two-way Trip - Lin Fengmian and Pablo Picasso" and experience the charm of art that transcends time and space and connects the East and the West.
Chatham Maison Art Research & Exchange Centre, March 2025