"Beyond Rationality – A Contemporary Art Exhibition" opened at Quzhou Art Museum on February 6, 2026. This notable exhibition is presented under the guidance of the Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Center and Zhejiang Art Museum, organized by the Quzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism Bureau, and hosted by the Quzhou Cultural Center (Quzhou Art Museum). With academic direction by Qian Cheng and Li Yunlei, curated by artist Shao Yinong, and planning by Fu Wenwei, the exhibition brings together more than eighty exemplary works by 28 accomplished artists including Chen Dongfan, Chen Wenji, Hong Hao, Tan Ping, Yin Zhaoyang, Zhang Zikang, and Kang Haitao. Through diverse media such as installation, sculpture, oil on canvas, and watercolor on paper, the exhibition invites audiences on a contemplative journey that transcends rational boundaries and returns to the essence of artistic expression.
Structured around two thematic sections—"Breaking the Cocoon · Exploration" and "Dao Qi · Return"—the exhibition first examines and challenges existing rational constraints, highlighting art’s shift from external critique to inward reflection. The second section focuses on the awakening and return of vital energy, revealing a sense of tranquility and resonance as art sheds complex exteriors to connect with a cosmic source. These sections unfold progressively, tracing a path from intellectual inquiry toward spiritual awareness. Each artist responds to the concept of "hyper-rationality" through distinct visual languages—whether in the refined economy of line, translucent layering of ink, pure force of form, or distinctive use of color. Together, they encourage viewers to move beyond habitual thought patterns and encounter the works with a receptive mind, directly perceiving the life energy and natural order embodied within.
In discussing the exhibition’s conceptual framework, curator Shao Yinong observed, “Art is never merely self-referential; it communicates a form of life cognition. ‘Beyond Rationality’ advocates a complete return—a return to focused practice and to instinctual simplicity. When art is freed from preconceived ideas and deliberate guidance, returning to a state of utmost simplicity and instinct, it can evoke a connection with the deeper energies of the universe. This is the precious gift that art offers.” He further emphasized that art represents “an energy state revealed after simplification to essence,” ultimately aiming for “the unity of body, mind, spirit, and cosmic energy.”
