Installation view of The Art of Chao Chung-Hsiang at Alisan Fine Arts, NYC

The Art of Chao Chung-Hsiang
Closing Saturday, October 17, 2026
120 East 65th Street, NYC

Discover the visionary art of Chao Chung-Hsiang before the exhibition closes Saturday, October 17 at Alisan Fine Arts! Celebrating a pioneering artist whose whose distinctive fusion of Chinese ink traditions and Western abstraction helped redefine the possibilities of contemporary Chinese painting. As Alisan Fine Arts celebrates 45 years of championing contemporary Chinese art in 2026, the exhibition honors Chao Chung-Hsiang’s enduring place in the gallery’s history, alongside fellow modern masters Zao Wou-ki, Chu Teh-chun, Walasse Ting, and Lui Shou-kwan, whose works have been integral to its program since its early years.

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.

This exhibition 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.

Visit Alisan Fine Arts to discover the work of this trailblazing artist before the exhibition closes!

To learn more, click here.