Opening of the special exhibition "From Shanghai to Paris: The Artistic Journey of Pan Yulin"

　　On the occasion of celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the special exhibition" From Shanghai to Paris: The Artistic Journey of Pan Yulin " jointly organized by World Expo Museum and Anhui Museum was grandly opened in the Temporary Hall 1 of World Expo Museum.

　　The special exhibition " From Shanghai to Paris: The Artistic Journey of Pan Yulin "has been formally included in the 2024 Sino-French Year of Culture and Tourism program and the 23rd China Shanghai International Arts Festival. The exhibition will be held from August 10th to November 10th, 2024.

　　Shanghai was the starting point of Pan Yulin's artistic career and an important stage for the development of modern Chinese art in the early 20th century. The city provided rich materials and a broad stage for Pan Yulin's artistic exploration with its unique atmosphere of the times and regional characteristics. This is exactly where the name " From Shanghai to Paris " comes from.

Opening address by Ms. Liu Wentao, Director of World Expo Museum

Opening speech by Mr. Ji Yong, Director of Anhui Museum

Speech by Prof. Li Chao, academic host of the exhibition and professor of Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts

Mr. Xiang Yihai, Deputy Director of the Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, inaugurated the opening event.

The opening event

　　The opening also invited various representatives from the literature, art and art criticism sectors to attend the event.

　　01 An Artistic Journey from the Perspective of Shanghai City

　　Pan Yulin was an art pioneer in the early twentieth century who blended Chinese and Western painting styles, and was also a representative figure of Chinese artists who stayed in France. She not only made important contributions to the development of modern Chinese art, but also served as a bridge for the dissemination and exchange of Chinese and French art.

Pan Yulin's Art Journey (Shanghai Footprints)

　　This special exhibition features a selection of one hundred exhibits, which for the first time cuts into the narrative from a Shanghai perspective, telling the story of Pan Yulin's artistic creation and spiritual life, as well as the profound influence of the two art capitals, Shanghai and Paris, on her.

　　02 Mirror of the Soul - A Focus on Pan Yulin's Self-Portraits

　　One of the highlights of the exhibition is Pan Yulin's self-portrait series, which not only show her unique perspective as a female painter, but also reflect her growth in self-consciousness and cultural awareness.

The most beautiful work of self-portrait (1940)

Self-Portrait(First Grade Cultural Relic)

　　03 Artistic treasures for the first time - a valuable perspective for academic exploration

　　This special exhibition presents to the public for the first time some of Pan Yulin's important documents, such as the album "Exhibition catalogue of the commemorative painting exhibition of Ms. Pan Yulin's Return from Europe". This is a review of the first solo exhibition of female oil painters held in China at that time, and a milestone in Pan Yulin's artistic career.

Surviving Orphan Copy

First Time on Display (Shanghai Library collection)

　　04 Pan Yulin's Teacher and Friendship with Shanghai Art Circle

　　Anhui Museum carefully selected a large number of fine masterpieces and planned this special exhibition with World Expo Museum. World Expo Museum also loaned a series of valuable works through close collaboration with a number of art organizations in Shanghai.

Liu Haisu, Nanjing Confucian Temple

Self-portray By Wang Jiyuan

Thousand miles of rushing flow, Zhu Qizhan

　　This special exhibition presents Pan Yulin's deep friendship and artistic exchanges with her contemporaries - Liu Haisu, Wang Jiyuan, Zhu Qizhan and others - and completes a vivid presentation of the group of artists of that era.

　　05 "Multi-dimensional Vision" Creates Topics for Reflection

　　With the curatorial concept of "Multidimensional Perspectives", this special exhibition goes beyond a single temporal narrative to explore the intertwining of time and space, as well as multidimensional topics such as Shanghai's cultural plurality, women's growth and the fusion of Chinese and Western art.

　　The exhibition carefully constructs a multi-dimensional art space, aiming to stimulate in-depth thinking and extensive discussion on art, culture, society, gender and other issues through Pan Yulin's art practice.

　　Exhibition Overview

　　"From Shanghai to Paris " is a three-month-long special exhibition, which will be organized in three chapters -"Setting Sail - The Dawn in Shanghai","Sailing Far - Blossoming in Paris", and "Returning Home - Harmonizing Ink and Color", which will showcase Ms. Pan Yulin's rich and colorful artistic career and her painting style that blends the East and the West.

　　Unit One: Setting Sail - The Dawn in Shanghai

　　Mrs. PanYulin’s artistic journey began in Shanghai, a city that deeply influenced her life. From her artistic awakening and studies in Europe to her return to teach and her subsequent trip to France, Shanghai was at the heart of it all. As the gateway for the “Eastward Spread of Western Ideas”, Shanghai led art education reform, the formation of art groups, and the empowerment of women. In this environment, Pan’s artistic ideas and self-awareness blossomed. She not only embraced Western art concepts but also pioneered new realms in portraying female figures.

　　Unit Two: Sailing Far - Blossoming in Paris

　　At the end of 1937, PanYulin showcased her exceptional talents, earning acclaimin esteemed salon exhibitions and significantly contributing to the promotion of Chinese culture abroad. During her time in France, Pan’s artistic oeuvre soared to new heights. She demonstrated the perfect integration of Chinese and Western art techniques and conveyed themes of female independence and self-actualization.

　　Unit Three: Returning Home - Harmonizing Ink and Color

　　Throughout her life, Pan Yulin dedicated herself to the artistic visionof “merging Chinese and Western styles into one.” Her artistic portfolio encompassed diverse genres, with her line drawings, oil paintings and colour ink paintings serving as notable embodiments of her distinctive artistic expressions. She aimed to harmonize two distinct artistic traditions by employing Chinese freehand brushwork to depict the figurative forms of Western painting, resulting in a unique style that captured the essence of the East while embracing Western modernity, thus significantly enriching modern art.

　　To enter this special exhibition is to enter into a history, a dialog and a touch of the heart. Here, art resonates with the times, color and emotion mingle, and form and content unite, together composing an artistic hymn spanning the centuries.

　　Key Exhibits

Ready to start off from Tonglu(First Grade Cultural Relic)

Two persons dancing with Sleeves (First Grade Cultural Relic)

A party in the courtyard(First Grade Cultural Relic)

Self-Portrait in Red

Self-Portrait (1945)