'Approaching Magnificent Mountains: The Art of Xu Jiang' opens in Ningbo

The art exhibition opens at Ningbo Museum of Art on Sept 29. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

Ningbo Museum of Art has opened a new exhibition, Approaching Magnificent Mountains: The Art of Xu Jiang, highlighting the work of one of China's foremost expressive painters.

The show features Xu's signature mountain landscapes and will run until Dec 3.

The exhibition is structured into three parts, featuring oil paintings, sculptures, and installations that reflect Xu's profound connection to nature and Chinese cultural heritage, offering a visual and emotional journey through Xu's artistic exploration of mountains.

Xu serves as vice-president of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and president of the China Oil Painting Society. He has dedicated over two decades to creating the iconic Sunflower artwork series, with his works bridging traditional Chinese spirit with contemporary expression, earning international acclaim.

In recent years, Xu has dedicated his efforts to shanshui (mountains and rivers) landscape oil painting.

As a pivotal driver of China's contemporary art scene, Xu has championed major academic platforms, including the Shanghai Biennale and the Guangzhou Triennial, shaping critical discourse and international dialogue.

"Xu Jiang is a laborer, a poet, and an educator," said Yu Xuhong, president of the China Academy of Art, at the exhibition's opening ceremony. "Through sunflowers and landscapes, he refines the modern Chinese spirit of looking up to and approaching mountains."

"Xu Jiang is an educator and artist of profound influence and exceptional achievements in the fields of Chinese oil painting and contemporary Chinese art," said Ma Fenghui, vice-president of the China Artists Association.

"His artistic journey is one deeply rooted in the soil of Chinese culture, dedicated to the modern reinvention of the Eastern spirit," said Ma. "His art is a deep inquiry facing the sun and a majestic echo answering the mountains."