What's on

Art connoisseur

Ye Gongchuo is remembered for his contribution to the development of transportation in modern China. He was also a scholar and art connoisseur. Leave Behind as Unknown Boon, an ongoing exhibition hosted by the Beijing Fine Art Academy, commemorates his 140th birth anniversary. Ye was its founding director, and his work laid a solid foundation for the institute's growth. The exhibition, running through Jan 16, focuses on Ye's life, his acquaintance with artists and his collection of cultural items. It shows the influence of his grandfather, Ye Yanlan, a retired court official of the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), on cultivating Ye Gongchuo's lifelong interest in literature and art. The show presents glimpses of his social life: He was well-connected with figures in politics, economy, culture and art. It also celebrates his large collection of artifacts. He later donated many to public museums in the country.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays.12 Chaoyang Gongyuan Nan Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing.010-6502-5171.

Ink paintings

Chen Xiangbo, director of the Guan Shanyue Art Museum in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, has built a reputation over several decades for his exploration of ink art. The exhibition Cream of Art shows dozens of his ink works at the Powerlong Art Center in Xiamen, Fujian province, through Dec 5. Curated by Zhu Xiaojun, it showcases Chen's recent endeavors in continuing the aesthetic and philosophical spirit of classical Chinese ink painting. On show are the 24 solar terms and 12 zodiac animals series, in which he adopts the flower-and-bird style of classical painting while using a rather bold palette to present a calm atmosphere. His digital work of animated ink paintings presents his experiment in new possibilities with traditional art forms.

11 am-7 pm, Monday to Thursday; 11 am-8 pm, Friday to Sunday. L4, Onemall, 1 Jinshan Lu, Siming district, Xiamen, Fujian province.

Transcendent bridge

New York City-based artist Shara Hughes' ongoing exhibition at Yuz Museum, The Bridge, shows her paintings marked by energetic brushwork and a vibrant palette. Sourcing inspiration from nature, Hughes renders the surrealistic landscapes in her work a feeling of spirituality and fantasy. At the center of the exhibition, running through Jan 9, is The Bridge, a 12-meter-long work drawn on the scenery of the woods, cliffs and waterfalls along the Hudson River. The paintings show her acute observations on life and death, and universe and people.

10 am-6 pm, Tuesday to Sunday.35 Fenggu Lu, Xuhui district, Shanghai. 021-6426-1901.

New sculptures

Tony Cragg, the sculptor, is known for his long-standing interest in testing the limits of different materials. His works show a frozen moment of movements to present the dynamic power of matter. Seven sculptures created since 2018 by the internationally renowned artist, who now lives in Germany, are on show at Lisson Gallery's space in Shanghai, through Jan 15. It shows Cragg's distinctive practice of layering forms and exploration with the possibilities of material, scale and volume. Cragg's works reshape the perspectives of people to see and understand the world around.

2/F, 27 Huqiu Lu, Huangpu district, Shanghai. 021-6333-9296.