Alisan Fine Arts in Central, Hong Kong, presents 'The Chinese Avant-Garde in Paris' from 22 May to 15 Aug 2026 as part of its 45th anniversary 'Then and Now' programme. The exhibition features works by Zao Wou-ki, Chu Teh-chun, T’ang Haywen, and Walasse Ting—francophone Chinese diaspora masters who blended Chinese cultural roots with post-war Parisian modernism. Highlights include previously unseen ink works by Chu Teh-chun from the 1980s and 1990s, a rare black-and-white canvas by Walasse Ting from 1959, and a major 1970s canvas by Zao Wou-ki. The show anchors the 'Then' component of the programme, with a parallel 'Now' exhibition at Alisan Atelier, both part of the French May Arts Festival Associated Projects.
This exhibition matters because it illuminates the pivotal role of Chinese diaspora artists in shaping global modernism, a narrative often marginalized in Western art history. By presenting never-before-shown works from the Chu Teh-chun and Walasse Ting foundations, the gallery offers rare scholarly and public access to key chapters of 20th-century art. As Hong Kong’s longest-standing contemporary gallery, Alisan Fine Arts continues its trailblazing mission to foster cross-cultural dialogue and elevate Chinese contemporary art on the world stage.