Anna Zhao anna.whizh@yahoo.com THE Guan Shanyue Art Museum is showcasing contemporary art with print paintings and installations by 35 young Chinese artists through Dec. 17. Themed “On the Road,” the exhibition is part of an academic research series examining the development of contemporary art among young artists in China. Starting two years ago, the research has focused on different art categories each year, with previous years focusing on oil paintings and ink and wash paintings. This year, print painting is the focal point, with works nominated by an academic team from 16 art institutions that specialize in print painting, including some from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. While in recent years contemporary artists have extensively applied new media and technology in their expression of creativity, artists of print painting are unavoidably trendsetters. To bring an elevated visual effect and sensitive touch to their work, artists relentlessly borrow from multimedia displays, photographs and installations. Artists also resort to materials that are not conventionally associated with printing, such as cotton thread and cloth. One work in the museum’s central hall symbolizes the integration of different media — the artists used 168 small paintings and a huge display screen on the floor to complete the piece — the journey of print paintings across the globe. A piece by artist He Huiling is composed of several paintings and multimedia screens to display various acoustic waves, which the artist said is an experiment to depict the emotional changes in people’s social interactions in the modern world. In a group of wood printings, artist Huang Weihong unfolds scenes in which mutated creatures cause chaos in public spaces. The artist hopes to help visitors reflect on abnormalities and the damage that results from humankind’s activities on earth. The exhibition’s curator said that most of the artists are in their 30s or 40s and have experienced the changes in art brought about by the modernized world. “Artists of that age group, who have greater freedom than older generations in their pursuit of art and expression, have contributed to contemporary art in a way that is quite different from tradition,” the curator said. “In a time when art tends to be more diversified, art creation nowadays seems to center on individual artists’ inner world and gift. So it’s difficult to sum up a unified characteristic for this generation. Nevertheless, there is certainly some degree of similarity between these artists, in their expressions and the focus of their work. So we hope the exhibition can be a gateway through which different works could be presented to a wider audience.” Dates: Through Dec. 17 Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, 6026 Hongli Road, Futian District (福田区红荔路6026号关山月美术馆) Metro: Longgang or Longhua Line, Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit B | 