As part of the 2026 Festival Croisements — an annual series of artistic and cultural exchanges between China and France — the exhibition Shanghai et Paris: L'Abstraction a travers le temps has opened at the Shanghai Art Museum.

Tracing more than a century of artistic exchange and mutual influence between Shanghai and Paris in abstract art, the exhibition brings together over 100 works spanning painting, photography, sculpture, and installation.

The exhibition is structured in three sections, each corresponding to a different timeline: 1890-1949, 1949-1999, and 2000-2026.

From the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, abstract consciousness evolved from inception to dissemination. Paris, as the epicenter of Western modern art, championed movements such as Post-Impressionism, Cubism, and Abstractionism. At the same time, Shanghai introduced Western modern art to China through publishing and education, while incorporating it into local forms of expression.

In the second half of the 20th century, many Chinese artists who had studied in Europe continued to explore modern painting. Among them, Wu Guanzhong, Zao Wou-Ki, and Chu Teh-Chun each pursued their own paths in Paris, forging important connections between the abstract art scenes of China and France.

Entering the 21st century, abstract art has shifted from exploring formal language to rethinking media, materials, and perceptual experiences. This exhibition features 16 contemporary France-based abstract artists, who highlight Paris's unique cultural dimension through experiments with color, brushwork, texture, space, and mixed media.

Meanwhile, the latest explorations in Shanghai's contemporary abstract art seek to transcend the boundaries of painting by incorporating found objects and mixed media, engaging with spatial and temporal concepts. This convergence reflects the deep resonance between the two cities in their abstract space-time and humanistic spirit.

If you go

When: July 30 to Oct 18

Where: Shanghai Art Museum (China Art Museum), No 205 Shangnan Road, Pudong New Area

Admission: Free

Source: Shanghai Art Museum