Chao Chung-hsiang, Sunrise behind the Bamboo, undated, Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper, 17 1/2 x 17 3/4 in. (44.5 x 45cm)
This Autumn during Asia Week New York, Alisan Fine Arts presents two exhibitions exploring the diverse paths of contemporary Chinese art and the artists who have shaped its evolution. Opening Saturday, September 12, The Art of Chao Chung-Hsiang celebrates a pioneering artist whose distinctive fusion of Chinese ink traditions and Western abstraction helped expand the language of contemporary Chinese painting. Opening Wednesday, September 16, Fong Chung-Ray and Hung Hsien: A New Horizon traces the artists’ evolving practices following their move to the United States. Together, the exhibitions reflect Alisan’s 45-year commitment to championing innovative Chinese art and artists. Learn more below!
The Art of Chao Chung-Hsiang
September 12 – October 17, 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, Sept 12, 2-5pm
120 East 65th Street, NYC
Alisan Fine Arts is thrilled to celebrate 45 years of championing contemporary Chinese art in 2026. Chao Chung-hsiang, alongside notable artists like Zao Wou-ki, Chu Teh-chun, Walasse Ting and Lui Shou-kwan, has been a vital part of the gallery’s history since their early days. Chao studied under the renowned Lin Fengmian at the National College of Art in Hangzhou, graduating in 1939 before immigrating to Taiwan in 1948. His studies in Spain and experiences in Europe led him to New York in 1958, where he encountered the dynamic world of American Abstract Expressionism and other post-war art movements. His works explore themes of nature, spirituality, and abstraction, featuring flowers, fish, birds, and cosmic imagery.
Their presentation for AWNY Autumn focuses on Chao’s black-and-white abstract ink paintings alongside his renowned “hybrid paintings” of birds and fish. The interplay of circles, squares, and geometric forms executed in bright acrylics atop traditional ink washes demonstrates Chao’s unique artistic approach, which incorporated abstract symbolism into ink wash painting. Chao’s integration of yin-yang symbols and references to Chinese philosophy enriches his work, embodying a hybrid quality and a conscious expansion to the traditional Chinese artistic language.
To learn more, click here.
Fong Chung-Ray and Hung Hsien: A New Horizon
September 16 – November 11, 2026
Opening Reception: Wednesday, Sept 16, 6-8pm
Opening a few days later, A New Horizon features artists Fong Chung-Ray and Hung Hsien, artists who immigrated to Taiwan as teenagers and later settled in the US, where they reside today; Fong in California, and Hung in Texas. Fong and Hung were part of the Fifth Moon Group, a prominent Taiwan art collective that promulgated a move towards modernism while retaining a clear Chinese identity.
The focus of this exhibition, however, is the evolution of each artist’s work during their subsequent time spent in the US. Both were influenced by their new surroundings, and as their styles matured, they introduced elements of their cultural tradition in different ways, each creating their own unique contemporary artistic language.
Get a sneak preview on Saturday, September 12 during the opening of The Art of Chao Chung-Hsiang!
To learn more, click here.