What's on

Bronze reflections

When talking about archaic Chinese bronze ware, one might think of the magnificent ritual vessels and weaponry from the Shang (c.16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC) dynasties. Bronze mirrors, as a subcategory, flourished and were integrated into people's daily lives, experiencing several peaks from the Han (206 BC-AD 220) to the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The objects were such an inseparable apparatus of social life that they were embedded with rich cultural meanings. The mirrors were frequently mentioned in literary works and paintings as symbolic representation. For example, a mirror was depicted in 4th-century painter Gu Kaizhi's work, The Admonitions of the Court Instructress; and mirror became an allegory of self-reflection of one's own deeds and thoughts, which is still in use today. Addressing this unique culture, Hunan Museum in Changsha is showing more than 200 ancient mirrors in its collection at Squares and Circles, an exhibition running through to Nov 30, 2023. The making of mirrors developed with a variety of shapes and patterns, and the inscriptions reflect social hierarchy, family unity and morality.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 50 Dongfeng Road, Changsha, Hunan province.0731-8441-5833/8447-5933.

Ceramic and metal

Li Hongwei was trained to be an artist at the sculpture department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in the United States. The experiences of being exposed to various arts and cultures have rendered his works a diverse, experimental feeling. Li's solo exhibition, Becoming Harmonious, at Long Museum's West Bund venue in Shanghai, shows more than 20 sculptures and installations that reflect his continuous art exploration with the blending of different materials. In his productions, Li combines ceramics, the art of a long history yet still glittering with a modern look, with materials representing industrial development such as stainless steel. The vivid colors and the warm, semi-translucent texture of porcelain form a contrast with the simply cut shapes and the cold luminosity of stainless steel, greatly enriching the quality and depth of his works. With a philosophical vision, Li invites the audience to a discussion on conflict, transformation and coexistence. The exhibition runs through to Feb 19.

10 am-5:30 pm, closed on Mondays.3398 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui district, Shanghai. 021-6422-7636.

'Shanghai style'

The ongoing exhibition at the Jiudianshui Art Museum in Shanghai presents more than 70 oil paintings and sculptures by 35 artists. From 90-year-old Zhang Zishen to artists in their 50s, such as Sui Jun and Liu Manwen, the exhibition aims to present the evolution of a distinctive "Shanghai style", especially in representational art, through generations of artists' works. The exhibition runs through to Jan 8.

10 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. Jiudianshui Art Museum, Building C2, 198 Yizhou Road, Xuhui district, Shanghai.

French painters

Henri Matisse, the French artist famous for his bold use of colors, once said: "Color was not given to us so that we could imitate nature. It was given to us to express our emotions." The creative, adventurous experiments with colors are essential to an artist's work. Adventures of Colors, an ongoing exhibition, at Suzhou Museum West, Jiangsu province, teams up 10 French painters who have been exploring the energies and influences of color. Remy Aron, one of the featured artists and the exhibition's curator, says the works are exuberant with "a poetry of colors", and seek to show a relationship of depth between colors and different formations. He says the joy and power delivered by the vivid paintings will give people courage in a time when the world has fears and doubts. The exhibition ends on Jan 2.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 399 Changjiang Road, Gaoxin district, Suzhou, Jiangsu province.0512-6757-1665.