Listening to the Rain Wan Qingli (1945–2017) 1996
Ink and colour on paper
122.3 x 246cm Gift of the artist HKU.P.2002.1439
The exhibition Wondrous Rivers: Exploring Chinese Landscape Paintings invites visitors to immerse themselves in the captivating world of Chinese landscape paintings from the collection of the University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG), The University of Hong Kong. As a sequel to the 2024 exhibition Momentous Mountains: The Artistic, Philosophical and Cultural Engagement with Chinese Landscape Painting, this showcase presents a diverse series of paintings spanning from the early Qing dynasty (17th century) to contemporary times. The artists, hailing from different time periods and various regional cultures and training backgrounds, collectively exemplify the multi-faceted evolution of this painting genre.
The exhibition features a selection of artworks by renowned Chinese landscape painters, including the literati painter Zha Shibiao, active in the Jiangnan area, and Guangdong painters Li Jian, Su Renshan and Liang Yuwei, each known for their distinct personal style. Within the context of the development of modern Chinese painting, the Lingnan School advocated for a fusion of Chinese and Western styles, while the Guangdong Chinese Painting Research Society sought innovation within the paradigm of tradition. The vibrant artistic interactions between the Guangdong, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai art scenes can be seen in the works of artists like Huang Binhong, Zhang Hong, Lu Zishu and Chiu Sai-Kwong (Zhao Shiguang), reflecting the depth and virtuosity of the evolution of 20th-century Chinese painting and the enduring friendships transcending time and space in the Hong Kong art community. Rarely displayed in public, the exhibition includes iconic works by renowned modern masters and influential art educators such as Liu Haisu, Fang Zhaoling, Rao Zongyi, Harold Wong Chung-fong and Wan Qingli, along with Hong Kong and Hong Kong Malaysian masters Choi Hoi-ying (Cai Haiying) and Liew Come-tong (Liu Qindong), revealing their unwavering commitment to ink art.
The collection of Chinese landscape paintings constitutes the foundation of UMAG's educational and research efforts. Since establishing the collection and making it publicly accessible in the 1950s, UMAG has been closely connected to the development of twentieth-century Chinese painters, actively documenting and studying the evolution of local artistic talents and the Hong Kong art scene. We would like to thank our community of donors—both artists and collectors—for their generosity and for being part of this fascinating journey. Finally, this exhibition would not have been possible without the financial support of the University of Hong Kong Museum Society and HKU's Endowment for Music and Fine Arts Fund.
For more images and exhibit captions, please click here.
Details of the Exhibition
Period: February 14, 2024 (Friday) to May 11, 2025 (Sunday)
Opening Hours:
9:30 am–6 pm (Tuesday to Saturday)
1 pm–6 pm (Sunday)
Closed on Mondays, Public and University Holidays
Venue: 1/F&2/F, Fung Ping Shan Building, UMAG, HKU, 90 Bonham Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
