For the West, oil painting is profound culture and important sign writing the history of civilization. For Yunnan in the southwest of China, this imported artistic form is a symbol for modernization and a road to modernity.

During the hundred-year dramatic changes in the Chinese society, the oil painting art of Yunnan takes on a “modern road” in a unique way. However, the impression on Yunnan presenting primitive natural flavor and colorful national styles in the eyes of many has long covered the modern cultural road explored and developed by artists in this red land.

This exhibition seeks to open a new chapter for the research on art history of Yunnan through exploring the modern road of oil painting art of Yunnan. The exhibition displays the representative oil paintings of 47 artists of Yunnan, which are created in different times with rich content in multiple styles to truly reflect the hardship of Yunnan artists in developing modern road and the modernity in their works beyond geographical restrictions. All this indicates the efforts made by Yunnan artists to enrich the artistic vocabulary of China and even the world.