Lu Fusheng

born 1949 Dongyang Zhejiang China

lives in Shanghai China

Lu Fusheng, born in 1949 in Dongyang, Zhejiang, is a well-known scholar-artist in ink painting, art theorist, art critic, and a significant figure in contemporary "Haipai" Shanghai School. He began studying Chinese classical literature and philosophy at the age of six and composed his first poem at seven. Early on, he studied Chinese painting and poetry while also writing fiction in his spare time. In 1972, he began creating oil paintings and comic illustrations. In 1982, he graduated from the Department of Chinese Painting at Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (now the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou). Lu Fusheng's art theories, "Sphere Theory" and "Quadrant Theory," which he published in 1986, broke away from the traditional single-dimensional research perspective in art history and introduced a multi-dimensional, relative, and integrative mode of thinking, profoundly influencing contemporary art towards a new era. During the four decades, Lu has also lectured at several international lectures, including International Symposium on Dong Qichang at the University of Kansas, USA (1992), and was the art consultant for Museum Villa Stuck's Shanghai Modern, Munich, Germany (2004-2005). Important publications include Discourse on Heaven and Man, On Calligraphy Ecology, and A Comprehensive Guide to Chinese Literati Painting, among others. In 2019, the Lu Fusheng Art Museum was established in Dongyang, Zhejiang. He currently lives in Shanghai, China.

In the wave of Westernization, Lu's artistic creation was influenced by Chinese philosophy and classical literature. Since the 2000s, he has shifted from figure painting to landscape painting. His later works feature elongated, human-like mountains that resonate with the mountain-like facial features of his early figures. His work fuses these two major categories of traditional painting and echoes the Taoist philosophy, “Heaven and earth live together with me, and the myriad things and I are one.” Lu has participated in over 50 solo and group exhibitions worldwide, including Guggenheim Museum's China: 5000 Years, New York, USA, 1998; Twentieth Century Chinese Painting: Tradition and Innovation, travelling exhibition, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong; Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; British Museum, London, UK; Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne, Germany, 1995-1996. Since 2000s, his important solo exhibitions were held at National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Beijing Academy of Painting, Beijing; Xingtang Art Museum, Beijing; Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai; and Shaanxi Art Museum, Xi'an, among others.

Alisan Fine Arts presented a solo exhibition of Lu Fusheng’s works A Scholar Painter: Lu Fusheng in 1995 and then included his work at International Asian Art Fair in New York in 1996, and a group exhibition Chinese Portrait Paintings in 2007. In 2026, Alisan celebrates its 45th anniversary with the exhibition series "Then and Now," featuring the group exhibition Tradition Renewed: Contemporary Literati Masters showcasing Lu's new works.

His works are in the collection of Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA; National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai; Hong Kong Museum of Art, to name a few.

BIOGRAPHY
1949 Born in Dongyang, Zhejiang, China
1956 Started writing poetry at the age of 7
1972 Began creating oil paintings and comic illustrations
1982 Graduated from Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (now China Academy of Art) in the Chinese Painting Department
1982-2000s President and Chief editor, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
1984 Started writing art essays
Comic book Hairpin Phoenix won Silver Award, 6th National Art Exhibition in China, and was collected by National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
1985-2009 Chief editor of publications including Duoyun, Calligraphy, Complete Works of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting, Research Series on Chinese Painting, and Technical Atlas of Chinese Painting Masters through the Dynasties
1986 Made his artistic concepts public on "Sphere Theory" and "Quadrant Theory"
1989 Moderator, "Dong Qichang International Academic Seminar", Fangta Park, Shanghai, China
1992 Lectured at "Dong Qichang Century International Symposium", University of Kansas, Kansas, USA
1995 Lectured at "International Symposium on Twentieth-Century Chinese Painting", Hong Kong Art Museum, Hong Kong
1998-2008 Member of 9th and 10th Shanghai Municipal Political Consultative Conference
2001 Lectured at "Shanghai International Symposium on Painting", Shanghai Xi Jiao Guesthouse, Shanghai, China
2004-2005 Academic consultant, Shanghai Modern, Museum Villa Stuck, Munich, Germany
2007 Lectured on "Facing Chinese Painting: Dialogue between Zhang Gongzhe and Lu Fusheng", President's office, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
2008-2013 Representative of 13th Shanghai Municipal People's Congress
2012 Research fellow, Shanghai Research Institute of Culture and History, Shanghai, China
2018 Selected as a consultant for Shanghai Artists Association, Shanghai, China
2019 Established Lu Fusheng Art Museum, Dongyang, Zhejiang, China
Present Ph.D. supervisor, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
Painter at Shanghai Chinese Painting Institute, Shanghai, China
Vice Chairman, Shanghai Artists Association, Shanghai, China
Council member, China Artists Association, Beijing, China
Lives and works in Shanghai, China

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025

Mustard Seed and the Mount Sumeru: Exhibition by Lu Fusheng, Yujiang Dijing Shanghai Lifestyle Art Gallery, Jinhua, China

2015

Heaven and Earth: Lu Fusheng Calligraphy Art Exhibition, Xingtuan Art Museum, Beijing, China

2013

Between Knowing One and Knowing Two, National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Hubei Art Museum, Wuhan; Changshu Art Museum, Suzhou; Jiangsu Art Museum, Nanjing; Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China

2012

Seeing Beyond Seeing: Lu Fusheng Art Exhibition, Shaanxi Provincial Museum, Xi'an, China

2011

Seeing Beyond Seeing: Lu Fusheng Art Exhibition, Beijing Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China

2007

Observing Clouds Rise: Lu Fusheng Painting Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1995

A Scholar Painter, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026

Tradition Renewed: Contemporary Literati Masters, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
Where Ink Begins: A Journey into Contemporary Ink Art, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China

2025-2026

Yu Draws Pure Sounds: Masterpieces of Chinese Painting from the Changshu Art Museum and Pang Xunqin Art Museum Collection, Changshu Art Museum, Suzhou, China
Art for the People: 65th Anniversary Academic Art Exhibition of Shanghai Chinese Painting Institute, Shanghai Art Institute, Shanghai, China

2025

Above the Waves: A Reunion Across Time and Space – Shanghai School Painting Exhibition, Shanghai Duoyunxuan Art Centre, Shanghai, China
City · Garden: 2025 National Exhibition of Flower and Bird Paintings by Higher Art Institutions, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Interpreting Tang Poetry, Xie Zhiliu & Chen Peiqiu Art Centre, Shanghai, China

2023

Pact of Mountains and Seas: Exhibition of Works from Shanxi Provincial Academy of Calligraphy and Painting and Shanghai Chinese Painting Institute, Cheng Shifa Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Depth and Integrity: Collection of Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Shanghai, China

2022

8th Art Changsha Biennial - 3 Phrases: Peng Xiancheng, Liang Quan, Lu Fusheng, Hunan Tan Guobin Contemporary Art Museum, Changsha, China
Danqing Paints the New Era: Collection of Chinese Paintings from Pang Xunqin Art Museum and Changshu Art Museum, Guilin Academy of Fine Arts, Guilin, China
Interpreting Song Poems, Xie Zhiliu & Chen Peiqiu Art Centre, Shanghai, China

2021-2022

10th National Nine-City Art Exhibition (Nanjing Station), Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum, Nanjing, China

2020-2021

9th National Nine-City Art Exhibition (Nanjing Station), Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum, Nanjing, China

2018-2019

Modern Elements: New Chinese Ink Painting Exhibition 1978-2018 - New Ink Painting Part 3: 2000-2018, Beijing Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China
Image and Impression: Approaching Ink Artists' Studio - Documentary Exhibition, Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Dongyang Calligraphy and Painting Invitational Exhibition, Inaugural Exhibition, Lu Fusheng Art Museum, Dongyang, China

2018

From Canglang Pavilion: Jinji Lake Biennale, Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China

2017-2018

A Gathering of Prosperity: Shanghai Masters' Spring Exhibition, Huacui Centre, Art Museum of Shanghai Oil Painting and Sculpture Institute, Shanghai, China

2015

The Realm of Emptiness: Painting · Landscapes and Scenery, Shanghai Mingyuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2014

New Expression in China: 1980-2014 Special Invitational Exhibition, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Left Picture, Right Calligraphy: Lu Fusheng and His School, Xuhui Art Museum, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China

2013

One Hundred Collections: Special Exhibition of Chinese Paintings from Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Imagery, Himalayas Museum, Shanghai, China

2009-2010

New Literati Painting, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

2008

Chinese Art: Contemporary Ink Painting Exhibition, Institut Valencià d'Art Modern, Valencia, Spain

2006

Ink Regeneration: Shanghai New Ink Art Exhibition, Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2007

Chinese Portrait Paintings, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2004

High Mountains and Flowing Water: 2nd Contemporary Landscape Painting Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2001

Rhyme of Ink, International Academic Invitation Exhibition of Ink Painting: 3rd China Art Festival, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2000

3rd Shanghai Biennial, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1998

China: 5000 Years, Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA; Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain
Shanghai 100 Masterpieces Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Painters, Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1997

China Art: Contemporary Chinese Painting, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1996

15 Shanghai Chinese Painters Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1995-1996

Twentieth Century Chinese Painting: Tradition and Innovation, travelling exhibition, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong; Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; British Museum, London, UK; Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne, Germany

1994

8th National Art Exhibition in China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

1993

Japan Modern Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan

1992-1993

Taipei-Shanghai Modern Ink Painting Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1992

2nd International Ink Painting Exhibition: '92 Shenzhen, Shenzhen Academy of Fine Arts, Shenzhen, China

1996

International Asian Art Fair, Alisan Fine Arts, New York, USA

1988

2nd Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1986

1st Horizon Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1985

Chinese Young Artists Advancing, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

1984

6th National Art Exhibition in China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

1980

1st Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition, Shanghai Youth Palace, Shanghai, China

1972

National Art Exhibition: 30th Anniversary of Yan'an Forum, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

SELECTED AWARDS
1984 Silver Award, 6th National Art Exhibition in China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
1986 Honorary Second Prize, 3rd National Comic Awards in China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
2024 Bronze Award (Theoretical Research), Lanting Calligraphy Award, Lanting Calligraphy Museum, Shaoxing, China

SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Asian Art Museum San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
Shanghai Academy of Chinese Painting, Shanghai, China
Shanghai Academy of Painting and Calligraphy, Shanghai, China
Duoyunxuan, Shanghai, China
Changshu Art Museum, Suzhou, China
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1985 Comic book The Phoenix Hairpin, Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House, Shanghai, China
1990 Author, Discourse on Heaven and Man: A Hypothesis Concerning the Development of Art History, Joint Publishing Shanghai Branch, Shanghai, China
1987-2009 Chief editor, Complete Collected Writings on Chinese Calligraphy and Painting (20 volumes), Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
2000-2008 Chief editor, 20th Century Calligraphy Research Series (7 volumes), Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
2002 Author, A Comprehensive Guide to Chinese Literati Painting, Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House, Shijiazhuang, China
2003 Monograph, On Calligraphy Ecology, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
Chief editor, Techniques of Masters in Chinese Painting through the Dynasties, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
2005 Co-author, The Method of Painting Chickens, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
2006 Compiled The Painting Methods of Mount Tai, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
Author, Chronology of Zhang Zhao's Calligraphy, included in Calligraphy Research, Issue 130, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
2007 Author, Lu Fusheng's Painting, Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House, Shanghai, China
2012 Author, Red Flag Fluttering in the Wind: A General History of Chinese Portrait Painting, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China
2024 Monograph, A Historical Perspective on Chinese Calligraphy, Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, Shanghai, China