Fish IV

As the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, the Chinese government encouraged artists and art associations to participate in propaganda art and activities. Western oil painting, known for its emphasis on artistic originality, was gradually sidelined. Nevertheless, artists like Ding Yanyong and Guan Liang remained actively engaged in the movement. In June 1941, an exhibition named “Modern Painting Exhibition was organized in Shanghai,” featuring works by Ding Yanyong, Ni Yide, Guan Zilan, Guan Liang, and Zao Wou-ki. This event held significance for modern artists in the foreign concessioned areas of Shanghai, untouched by the Japanese army. Prominent periodicals of that era in Shanghai, such as Shun Pao and the Young Companion, covered the exhibition, underlining its enduring importance in 20th-century Chinese art history.