Shanghai Art Museum

I visited the Shanghai Art Museum in December. The day I went only one exhibit was open, but since the museum is free, I went in. I liked paintings by Peng Cainian, though I’d say these seemed more like “living room art” than like fine art. That’s not necessarily bad.

The exhibit’s introduction noted that when China first opened up, painters blindly leapt on Western art techniques. Cainian took a more thoughtful, meditative, careful approach. Cainian favors quiet aestetics and now focuses on ancient Chinese art in his work. I did like these paintings of ancient artifacts and landscapes and I don’t always want to see art that’s political or cutting edge.