China's National Art Museum brings art to more people

The National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) in Beijing has improved the quality of its collection, promoted high-standard utilization of artworks, and provided better services over the past 60 years, bringing art to more people.

A visitor takes photos of a painting at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) in Beijing, Jan. 22, 2023. (Photo/Xinhua)

The NAMOC has built a collection of over 130,000 objects, including representative works of Chinese art masters from ancient times to today. Among the treasures are masterpieces of artists such as Su Shi, Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Li Keran and Wu Guanzhong, works of famous calligraphers such as Yu Youren and Qi Gong, as well as works of sculptors, including Liu Kaiqu.

The museum also collects works of foreign artists. Wu Weishan, curator of the NAMOC, said 711 artworks of those from 101 countries were added to the museum’s collection.

In 2017, a special exhibition of excellent works the NAMOC collected kicked off in Beijing, attracting tens of thousands. Over 200 masterpieces by Chinese modern and contemporary art masters from the museum were on display.

To give more people access to its classic collections, the museum has held exhibitions on a regular basis, attracting throngs of visitors.

"Key highlights of our museum should not be shrouded in secrecy," Wu said, adding that the museum has to make the best use of the artworks it collected so that the true value of these artworks can be realized.

Since 2014, the NAMOC has held over 30 international exhibitions and organized more than 20 exhibitions overseas. An exhibition of Chinese freehand brushwork organized by the museum was held in such countries as Mexico, France, and Greece.

The museum kicked off a series of exhibitions titled “Beauty in the New Era” to mark its 60th anniversary on May 23, 2023. Nearly 600 artworks of famous Chinese and foreign artists were displayed. The exhibitions vividly embody the innovation and development of China's fine traditional culture, the promotion and inheritance of red revolutionary culture, and the exchange and mutual learning of outstanding Chinese and foreign art achievements.

The NAMOC has designed over 1,400 art derivatives, more than 180 of which have been produced, to spread the beauty of art. It has also produced short videos and documentaries, and used digital technologies to bring its collections back to life.

The museum has held various activities to bring art closer to the general public. Since 2014, it has held over 300 events, which received more than 500,000 visits.

The museum has popularized aesthetic education by giving open classes by masters, organizing a series of exhibitions, and staging events such as the "Night at NAMOC."