Signature styles

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, more than 400 paintings, pieces of calligraphy, prints, sculptures, watercolors, lacquer paintings and mixed media works are on show at the Ode to Motherland exhibition at the China National Academy of Painting in Beijing until Oct 30.

The show displays the works of great artists of the 20th century, featuring their signature styles of brushwork and popular motifs, such as full fruits on a branch depicted by Qi Baishi; galloping, masculine horses by Xu Beihong; a blooming lotus pond revisited by Liu Haisu in his creation; the lush mountains engulfed in mist that mark the works of Li Keran; and female dancers under the animated strokes of Ye Qianyu.

The exhibition showcases the evolution of Chinese art over the past seven decades to reflect socialist construction and to address people's changing lifestyles and mentalities in different periods.

9-11:30 am, 1:30-4:30 pm, daily.54 Xisanhuan Beilu, Haidian district, Beijing. 010-6841-2606.

Spiritual realm

In a letter to computer scientists in 1990, Qian Xuesen, the father of China's space program, mentioned the Chinese translation for "virtual reality" and created the term lingjing (spiritual realm), which he said was his favorite as it "has a strong Chinese feeling".

Re-creating Spiritual Realm, an exhibition at Shenzhen Art Museum running until Nov 24 in Guangdong province, shows how six contemporary artists visualize their understanding of this term created by Qian and how they embrace and envisage a future in which the boundaries between reality and VR will become blurred.

Zhu Xiaojun, the exhibition's co-curator, says that it is not only to celebrate technological advancement but also to discuss how technology will shape the future of human civilization and humanity. You Jiang, another co-curator of the exhibition, says that the audience will find answers in the artists' reinterpretations of Chinese aesthetics and philosophy in their exploration of the integration of technology and art.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 32 Donghu Yijie, inside Donghu Park, Aiguo Lu, Luohu district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province. 0755-2542-6069.

Art for people

The 20th century saw dramatic changes in Chinese art. Many participants — namely figures of luminosity who initiated reforms — were members of the teaching faculty and graduates of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Their work reflects social fluctuations and enriches the art landscape and culture.

The academy is exhibiting more than 200 selected pieces from its collection in its museum, encouraging viewers to experience three different periods of the last century.

It traces back to when the first groups of Chinese artists traveled to Europe to study art and brought back new ideas. It also looks at the early days of the People's Republic of China when artists were actively involved in showing the country's developments. The last three decades of the 20th century reflect the changes brought by reform and opening-up.

9:30 am-5:30 pm, closed on Mondays. 8 Huajiadi Nanjie, Wangjing, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6477-1575.