The 13th Shanghai Art Exhibition and the Magnolia Awards Ceremony were held on December 5 at the Shanghai Art Museum (China Art Museum). Among the winners of the Magnolia Art Award were the sculpture "Confidant", the Chinese painting "Road to Rejuvenation", and the oil painting "Will You Marry Me?". These works, along with nearly 600 other pieces, constituted this largest comprehensive art exhibition in Shanghai.
Founded in 2001, the Shanghai Art Exhibition is held every two years and is a comprehensive exhibition brand that showcases the latest achievements and overall image of Shanghai's art creation. This year's exhibition awarded 6 works of excellence and 6 works of merit in the "Magnolia Art Award" (including the sculpture "Confidant"), as well as 8 works in the "Shen Roujian Art Foundation Award". The exhibition features 601 works, including selected works, works by invited artists and judges. It is the largest, strongest, and most diverse exhibition in the history of the exhibition, and comprehensively showcases the overall landscape of Shanghai's art scene over the past two years.
Stepping into the exhibition areas located in Halls 15, 16, and 17 on the ground floor of the Shanghai Art Museum, as well as the E-space, one is immediately struck by the diversity of art forms. The exhibition is divided into 18 categories, covering Chinese painting, oil painting, printmaking, sculpture, experimental art, digital art, and more.
In the sculpture exhibition area, young artist Wei Kun's work "Confidant" juxtaposes four cultural pioneers: Lu Xun, Qu Qiubai, Chen Duxiu, and Li Dazhao. Although they may not have appeared at the same time and in the same place, the work emphasizes their common spiritual pursuit and historical mission through artistic means.
Sculpture "Confidant" by Wei Kun, winner of the Magnolia Art Award for Excellence
In the Chinese painting exhibition area, Wu Zhengzhen's "The Road to Rejuvenation," a postgraduate student at East China Normal University, attracted many viewers. This work depicts a freight train passing through city buildings using a new style of meticulous brushwork and light colors, inspired by the "Qiku Line" railway near his campus.
Intriguingly, this piece is "Will You Marry Me?" by young artist Li Yiyi, an award-winning oil painting. This work stems from the artist's reflections on the theme of marriage. She captures and depicts the subtle energy and relationship between real couples in a specific setting.
Li Yiyi's award-winning oil painting, "Will You Marry Me?"
"The 13th Shanghai Art Exhibition further strengthens its influence and leading role in the Yangtze River Delta region. At the same time, it follows the trends in art development, encouraging works exploring VR/AR, AI art, interactive installations, and video art, injecting cutting-edge technology and artistic vitality into the exhibition," said Zeng Chenggang, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Chairman of the Shanghai Artists Association. "The highlights of this exhibition lie in its deepening from a 'showcase' to an 'academic high ground,' its elevation from a 'local brand' to a 'national stage,' and its commitment from 'encouraging innovation' to 'leading the future.' We are committed to holding an art exhibition that is high-level, profound, and engaging, showcasing Shanghai's cultural confidence while also stimulating the city's artistic vitality."
According to the organizers, the age structure of the award-winning artists in this exhibition vividly reflects the changing talent pool in Shanghai's art scene. Among the 20 winners, the youngest is only 23 years old, and the oldest is 72. Sixteen of them, or 80%, are under 45 years old. The exhibition received a total of 2,729 submissions. After preliminary and secondary reviews, 534 works (including award-winning pieces) were selected for exhibition, comprising 84 Chinese paintings, 78 oil paintings, 41 prints, 49 watercolors/gouache paintings, 46 sculptures, 25 lacquer paintings, 57 mixed media paintings, 21 ceramic art pieces, 25 comics/animation pieces, 41 illustrations, comic strips, and New Year pictures, 23 poster designs, 30 experimental and digital art pieces, and 14 architectural and public art pieces. This marks the first appearance of the new professional art committee of the Shanghai Artists Association.
Exhibition site
The exhibited works are generally well-organized and diverse in subject matter and style. There are works that consciously explore the rich cultural resources of Shanghai’s revolutionary history, such as the “80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan”, the “90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March”, and the “100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army”. There are also excellent works that focus on important events, figures and achievements in the construction of Shanghai as a “people’s city” and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region, portraying the most beautiful people and praising the struggle.
Lu Qinglong, vice chairman of the China Artists Association and chairman of the Jiangsu Artists Association, believes that this exhibition has broadened the boundaries of painting genres in terms of creative expression, with more cross-media and cross-domain works emerging. In terms of style, it is more inclusive, showcasing more expressive and experimental styles in addition to traditional realism and freehand styles. Artists are no longer limited to traditional painting materials, but are trying to use new materials to give their works new textures and meanings.
Exhibition site
Exhibition site
“Many of the works in the exhibition are highly interactive, allowing viewers to engage with digital artworks through viewing, touching, and listening. This interactivity enhances the audience’s sense of participation and interest in art,” said Li Lei, vice chairman of the Shanghai Artists Association.
Oil painter Yin Xiong, vice chairman of the Shanghai Artists Association, noted that not all of this year's winners were local Shanghai painters; a significant portion were young people who had settled in Shanghai after graduating from universities outside the city. He said, "Just as the Shanghai Art Exhibition demonstrates openness and inclusiveness towards the Yangtze River Delta region, the spirit of this city has provided them with abundant nourishment, and they, in turn, have given back to the city with their talents. This is the healthy art ecosystem that should exist, and it is also the reason why the Shanghai Art Exhibition continues to be held and becomes increasingly influential."
The scene of the academic symposium of the 13th Shanghai Art Exhibition
On the afternoon of the opening day of the exhibition, an academic symposium for the 13th Shanghai Art Exhibition was held at the Shanghai Art Museum. Artists, award-winning artists, and art theorists and critics from Shanghai exchanged and discussed topics such as the new features, new atmosphere, and new trends that emerged in this year's exhibition.
The exhibition is jointly organized by the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Shanghai Artists Association, and the Shanghai Art Museum. It will run until January 4, 2026.
