Exhibition looks back to when famous artists were learning

Some 100 sketches drawn by now-famous artists when they were at art college are being showcased at Shanghai Marie’s Art Museum. 

The Sketch 100 Tour exhibition is organized by Fine Art School Affiliated to China Central Academy of Fine Arts and Shanghai Marie’s Art Museum.

Beijing’s Fine Arts School Affiliated to China Central Academy is widely considered the incubator of the “stars of tomorrow.” It was established by Xu Beihong (1895-1953) a master painter, art educator and a pioneer of modern Chinese painting, who was also its first dean.

The 100 sketches from former students include works by Liu Xiaodong, Yu Hong and Xiang Jing. “This is more like a retrospective exhibition, as some of the sketches were created nearly 50 years ago,” said curator Tang Bing. “We hope to inspire more practice and thoughts on sketches.”

According to Tang, sketching is the basic training for arts students. “It is not only for shape, but also for observation and critical thinking,” said Tang.

The subjects of the sketches vary from still life, plaster figure to scenery and human body sketches. “Many of the students are now outstanding artists,” Tang said. “Looking back, we could see how hard-working and talented they were even when they were teenagers.”

Exhibition info

Date: Through September 14, 9:30am-4:30pm (closed on Sundays)

Tel: 6401-1426

Venue: Shanghai Marie’s Art Museum

Address: 3300 Yan’an Road W.