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Form and Flow: Contemporary Shanshui Landscapes

Museum Exhibit

What’s Happening?

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.

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.

More about The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Enjoy free general admission to more than 5,000 years of incredible art, exhibitions, and cultural celebrations.
When & Where
From Nov 14, 2026 to May 16, 2027
Mon: 10:00am - 5:00pm Timezone: CST
Thu: 10:00am - 9:00pm Timezone: CST
Fri: 10:00am - 9:00pm Timezone: CST
Sat: 10:00am - 5:00pm Timezone: CST
Sun: 10:00am - 5:00pm Timezone: CST
Free


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