Cradle of China's art scene celebrates opening-up with exhibition

An exhibition at China Art Museum Shanghai shows the drastic development of the country's society, economy and art scene over the past 40 years.

On display are large oil paintings, with some featuring China's aircraft carrier patrolling the nation's maritime borders, iconic high-rise buildings that have changed Shanghai's skyline and scenes from urban life, such as the Shanghai Marathon and people using the city's new shared-bike system.

The exhibition also shows the work of established artists who continued to create after 1978, such as Liu Haisu, Tang Yun and Zhu Qizhan. One of the most important pieces on display is perhaps The Lion Grove Garden, a 2.9-meter-wide Chinese ink painting with an innovative composition and abstract strokes by Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010).