Floral art by Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet and other artists on display at private Deji Art Museum in Nanjing, China

At a time when many private art institutions in China are struggling, Deji Art Museum mounts ambitious show of modern and contemporary art from its collection

The exhibition of floral still lifes features Western artists such as Picasso, Monet and Mondrian, and Chinese artists including Zao Wou-ki and Wu Guanzhong

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The exhibition ‘Nothing Still About Still Lifes: Three Centuries of Floral Compositions’ at Nanjing;s Deji Art Museum features more than 100 modern and contemporary artworks, including (above) “Les Amoureux au Bouquet de Fleurs” (1935-1937), by Marc Chagall. Photo: Deji Art Museum

Published: 7:15am, 28 Nov 2023Updated: 8:13am, 28 Nov 2023

Deji Art Museum, a private museum in Nanjing, China, a city about 300km (186 miles) northwest of Shanghai, is exhibiting part of its impressive collection, which includes paintings by Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Georgia O’Keeffe, Zao Wou-ki and Andy Warhol.

The show is sizeable. “Nothing Still About Still Lifes: Three Centuries of Floral Compositions”, which runs until March 2024, comprises more than 100 works by modern and contemporary artists.

The exhibition, in a city that is carving a name for its private art museums, is a show of confidence at a time when China’s property market downturn has crimped the ambitions of developers who have been big backers of such institutions. As a result some museums have closed, including one in Nanjing.

Many international visitors to Shanghai Art Week this month made the side trip to Nanjing to visit Deji and other private museums: Sifang Art Museum, G Museum and the latest, the Cloud Collection – Contemporary Art Centre.

Opened in 2017 by the Nanjing-based Deji Group, Deji Art Museum is on the eighth floor of Deji Plaza, a high-end shopping complex. Photo: Deji Art Museum

“Because Nanjing was the ancient capital of China, there is a deep appreciation of art culture here,” says Lihsin Tsai, the Hong Kong-based senior director of Hauser & Wirth gallery.

“I went to see Deji’s show recently and it blew my mind. The resources and the commitment are solid. It’s not just because the company has lots of money to buy art. The museum is very serious about its programmes and publications,” she adds.