Recasting sculpture around ordinary lives

In 2024, the family of late sculptor and educator Liu Kaiqu (1904-93) donated 23 of his works to the China National Academy of Painting. The gift not only strengthens the academy's collection but also supports its long-term research into 20th-century Chinese art, a focus since its founding.

Marking its 45th anniversary this year, the academy has launched a series of survey exhibitions, lectures and forums to showcase its research, creative output and publications. Among the recent highlights was a forum and exhibition on Liu's work held earlier this month.

Trained in both China and France, Liu moved away from carving deities, a dominant practice in his time, and turned instead to everyday people. Farmers, factory workers, teachers and students became his subjects, their inner lives captured through scenes of daily existence. In doing so, he helped pioneer a distinctly "people-centered" narrative in modern Chinese sculpture.