Since the early 1900s, Chinese artists have engaged in a dialogue between tradition and modernity, with shanshui (mountains and water, “landscape”) at its center. While some artists have embraced China’s defining artistic tradition since the 9th century, others have reinterpreted or even challenged the legacy.

Today, contemporary Chinese art flourishes on the global stage, yet the negotiation between tradition and modernity remains vital. Many artists continue to redefine the shanshui tradition beyond its historical boundaries. Working across cultures, geographies, and media, they express personal artistic visions while engaging wide audiences.

This exhibition presents contemporary Chinese art from the 1960s onward, a pivotal period in the development of the modernist ink painting movement. Featuring the work of 14 artists spanning several generations, the exhibition includes many recent acquisitions.

Organized by The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Generous support provided by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.

Image caption: Hung Hsien, Chinese (b. 1933). Ocean Rocks, 1970. Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper, 52 3/16 x 30 9/16 inches (12.56 x 77.63 cm). Purchase: the Asian Art Acquisition Fund in memory of Laurence Sickman, 2024.41