Blooming heritage: Celebrating Pan Tianshou's legacy in flower-and-bird art

An exhibition area of the Zhejiang Provincial Flower and Bird Painting Exhibition in in Ninghai county, Ningbo. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

The Zhejiang Provincial Flower and Bird Painting Exhibition - A Hundred Flowers in Bloom, opened at the Pan Tianshou Art Museum in Ninghai county, Ningbo on March 13, commemorating the 128th anniversary of Pan Tianshou's birth.

Pan was a revolutionary figure in Chinese flower-and-bird painting, known for his bold brushwork and compositions that combined close-up landscapes with wildflowers.

The exhibition features over 70 artworks that reflect a fusion of traditional techniques with contemporary elements. The exhibition demonstrates how artists are integrating new materials and abstract ideas while keeping their roots, in line with Pan's philosophy of adapting art to its era.

Wang Minjie, vice-chairman of the Zhejiang Artists Association, emphasized how flower-and-bird painting is evolving through experimentation. Additionally, a lecture by Zhang Chi of the China Academy of Art explored blending traditional aesthetics with technology in the AI era.

On until May 6, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see the beauty of Zhejiang's flower-and-bird painting tradition.