06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
How 20th-century Hong Kong and Guangdong art stood out from the rest of China
For China, the early- to mid-20th century was a time marked by political and social upheaval.
It began with the Xinhai Revolution, which saw the end of the imperial system, before the Second Sino-Japanese War rocked the nation.
The Chinese Communist Revolution and
Cultural Revolution signified massive political and social shifts.
In 1949, after the Communist Party took power, a border was put up between mainland China and Hong Kong.
Against this complex backdrop, Cantonese artists adopted new ways of expression that culminated in a modern artistic identity. This identity is now being examined in 'Canton Modern: Art and Visual Culture, 1900s-1970s' at Hong Kong's M+ museum.
An artwork by Yip Yan-chuen depicting Hennessy Road in Hong Kong. A series of landscape sketches at the 'Canton Modern' exhibition chronicle Yip's life as a wartime refugee. Photo: M+
The exhibition, which runs until October 5, brings together 200 works from the museum's own collection, as well as from other institutions and private collections.
