Fang Zhaoling

born 1914 Wuxi China
died 2006 Hong Kong
Born to a scholarly family in the city of Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China in 1914, Fang Zhaoling was a precocious child with strong interests in Chinese calligraphy. She studied bird-and-flower painting under Chen Jiucun and landscape painting under Qian Songyan while at Wuxi Art College. When she was nineteen, she participated in the “White Wave Art Society” exhibition in Wuxi. Her talent and knowledge of Chinese ink art were evident even at a young age. By 1950, she had immigrated to Hong Kong and was a student of Zhao Shao’ang, a leading proponent of the second generation of the Lingnan School. Under his guidance, she produced primarily bird-and-flower paintings. By 1953, she had become a student of the renowned painter Zhang Daqian, canonical artist of twentieth century Chinese ink painting. During the 1960s, she studied paintings by Wu Changshuo and Qi Baishi in great detail, learning to use their freestyle method of cursive calligraphy to create paintings. During the 1960s-1970s she joined Zhang in Brazil and California, painting with him and participating in several overseas exhibitions. She passed away in 2006.

Since 1951, Fang has had over 50 group and solo exhibitions, including her centennial at Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University in 2014; others at places such as Cambridge University; Asian Art Museum of San Francisco; Museum of the University of Oregon; Tokyo Fuji Art Museum; National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Shanghai Art Museum; Zhejiang West Lake Art Museum; Hong Kong Museum of Art, Asia Society Hong Kong, and University of Hong Kong.

Alisan Fine Arts has been representing Fang since the 1990s. In 2012 we held a solo exhibition for her and has included her work in numerous group exhibitions.

Her work is present in numerous important collections, including the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco; the British Museum; Shanghai Art Museum; Hong Kong Museum of Art; University Museum and Art Gallery, the University of Hong Kong. Her works have also been featured in many publications and monographs.


SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024

  • A Life Journey of  Painting: The Ink Art of Fang Zhaoling, Centennial Hall, True Light Middle School, Hong Kong

2021

2017

  • Painting Her Way: The Ink Art of Fang Zhaoling, Asia Society, Hong Kong

2014

  • Paintings by Fang Zhaoling: A Century Exhibition, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK

2012

2006

  • Solo Exhibition, Zhejiang West Lake Art Museum, Hangzhou, China

2005

  • Fang Zhaoling: A Life in Painting, Chong-Moon Lee Centre for Asian Art and Culture, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA

2001

  • Solo Exhibition, Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong

2000

  • An Ode to Earth and Life: The World of Fang Zhaoling, Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan

1999

  • Works by Dr. Fang Zhaoling, Soka Gakkai International of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

1997

  • Solo exhibition of calligraphy and painting, Shanghai Art Museum; Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy, Beijing; Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China; Kulturzen-Trumvilla Sachsen, Katholische Akademie, Germany

1994  

  • The Passionate Realm: A Retrospective of Fang Zhaoling, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

1988 

  • Chinese Ink Painting by Fang Zhaoling, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

1986  

  • Solo exhibition, Hefei Museum, Anhui, China

1984  

  • Fang Zhaoling 70th Anniversary Exhibition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1983 

  • Solo exhibition, organised by Shanghai Ministry of Culture, Shanghai Art Museum, China

1981 

  • Solo exhibition, by Ministry of Culture, National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Nanjing, Wuxi, China

    1977  

    • Solo exhibition, Raya Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

    1975    

    • Solo exhibition, Mickelson Gallery, Washington DC, USA

    1973    

    • Solo exhibition, Mickelson Gallery, Washington DC, USA

    1972   

    • Solo Exhibition, Hugh Moss Gallery, London, UK

    1971  

    • Solo exhibition, Ji Gu Zhai Art Gallery, Hong Kong

    1968    

    • Solo exhibition, Grosvenor Gallery, London, UK

    1962  

    • Solo exhibition, Foyles Art Gallery, London; Durham University, UK

    1961

    • Solo exhibition, Victoria Memorial Hall, Singapore; St. John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong

    1960 

    • Solo exhibition, Doll and Richards Gallery, Boston; Kennedy Gallery, New York, USA; Montreal, Canada
    • Solo exhibition, De Young Memorial Museum; Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco, USA

    1957-1958

    • Solo exhibition, Oxford University, Cambridge University, UK

    1956

    • Solo exhibition, Hong Kong Chinese Women’s Club, Hong Kong

    1955

    • Solo exhibition, Fung Ping Shan Library, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    • Solo exhibition, sponsored by China Society, Penang, Malaysia


    SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

    2026
    2025-2026
    • Engaging Past Wisdom: Min Chiu Society at Sixty-five, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
    2025
    • Canton Modern: Art & Visual Culture 1900s-1970s, M+, Hong Kong
    2024
    • Momentous Mountains: The Artistic, Philosophical and Cultural Engagement with Chinese Landscape Painting, University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    2023

    2020

    2019

    2018

    2017

    2016

    2013

    2010

    • Legacy & Creations: Ink Art vs Ink Art, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

    2008
    2001
    1998
    • Group Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
    1987
    • Four-artist group exhibition, with Wu Guangzhong (1919-2010), Wang Jiqian (1907-2003) and Song Wenzhi (1919-1999), Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
    1986  
    • Group exhibition of 40 Chinese painters from Hong Kong, Macau, overseas and mainland China, organised by Chinese University of Hong Kong and Mingpao, City Hall, Hong Kong
    1985
    • Four-artist group exhibition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
    1984 
    • Group Exhibition, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    • Exhibition of Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
    1983 
    • Exhibition of Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
    1981
    • Art’81 Exhibition, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    1978  
    • Group Exhibition, City Hall, Hong Kong
    • Art’78 Exhibition, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    • Hong Kong Artists: The Early Generation, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
    1974    
    • Group Exhibition, Zachary Waller Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
    1967  
    • Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London, UK
    • Contemporary Chinese Painting Exhibition, Scottish National Museum of Modern Art, Edinburg, UK
    1960 
    • Group Exhibition, Museum of University of Oregon, Eugene, USA
    1957-8
    • Group Exhibition, Munich University, Munich, Germany
    1953-1954 
    • Joint exhibition with Zhao Shao’ang, Leeds University, Leeds; Marlborough Fine Arts Gallery, London, UK
    • Joint exhibitions, Vallotton Gallery, Lausanne, Switzerland; Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France
    1951 
    • Joint exhibition with Yang Shanshen (1913-2004), Hu Yuki (1927- ) and Lu Canming (1892-1963, father of Lui Shou-kwan), sponsored by Singapore Art Society, Singapore; Penang, Malaysia
    1950
    • Joint exhibition with Zhao Shao’ang, presented by Asahi Shimbun, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Tokyo, Japan, which was the first Chinese art exhibition since the war
    1933
    • Group Exhibition of Bailang Art Society, Wuxi, China


    SELECTED COLLECTIONS
    Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, USA
    Museum of University of Oregon, Eugene, USA
    British Museum, London, UK
    Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK
    Scottish National Museum of Art, Edinburgh, UK
    University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
    University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
    Durham University Museum, Durham, UK
    Liverpool University, Liverpool, UK
    Cologne Museum of Art, Cologne, Germany
    Jiangsu Art Museum, Nanjing, China
    Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
    Wuxi Museum, Wuxi, China
    Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
    Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection, Hong Kong

     
    SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
    1951   Recent Paintings by Fang Zhaoling, Tokyo, Japan
    1972   A World Beyond all Books-The Paintings and Calligraphy of Fang Zhaoling, London, UK
    1981   Fang Zhaoling: Paintings and Calligraphy, Shanghai, China
    1982   Works published in Some Recent Developments in 20th Century Chinese Paintings: A Personal View, edited by Hugh Moss, London, UK
    1983   Fang Zhaoling Portfolio, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong
    1984   Works published in The Experience of Art, 20th Century Chinese Paintings from the Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection 
    1988   Chinese Painting by Fang Zhaoling, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    1992   Works by Fang Zhaoling, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong
    1994   The Passionate Realm: A Retrospective of Fang Zhaoling, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
    1997   Works by Fang Zhaoling Vol. 1 & 2, Shuan Zhou Tong, Hong Kong
    1999   Tranquil Minds and Nature’s Resonance, by Fang Zhaoling and Daisaku Ikeda, Cosmos Books, Hong Kong
    2000   An Ode to Earth and Life: The World of Fang Zhaoling, Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
    2005   Fang Zhaoling: A Life in Painting, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Chong-Moon Lee Centre for Asian Art and Culture, USA
    2007   Calligraphy by Fang Zhaoling, Cosmo Books, Hong Kong
    2008   Hong Kong Art: Open Dialogue Exhibition Series II– New Ink Art: Innovation and Beyond, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
    2012    Fang Zhaoling, Vigorous and Fresh Chinese Ink Painting, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

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