
Recently, the Department of Arts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism released the public notice on the shortlist of Outstanding Projects for National Art Museums 2025. The General Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism also unveiled the list of Outstanding Projects for the 2025 National Exhibition Season of Fine Collections from Art Museums. Three projects curated by our museum have been recognized: Imported Oil Painting-A Retrospective Exhibition Of The Maksimov Oil Painting Program At CAFA(1955–1957) won the award for Outstanding Exhibition Project; Energy and Civilization: An Immersive Public Art Education Program Integrating Science and Art was nominated for Outstanding Public Education Project; and Interflowing Artscapes -- CAFAM International Exchange Research Exhibition from the Collection was selected as an Outstanding Project.
Taking this achievement as a new starting point, our museum will uphold academic integrity, further deepen exhibition research, and expand the reach and depth of public art education. We will also advance the creative transformation and innovative development of our fine collections. Fulfilling our core responsibilities in cultural inheritance, art education and public service, we strive to build a solid bridge connecting academic research and public art appreciation.

Imported Oil Painting-A Retrospective Exhibition Of The Maksimov Oil Painting Program At CAFA(1955–1957)
Exhibition Dates: November 15, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Venue: Galleries, 1/F, 3A & 4/F, CAFA Art Museum
Looking back on the history of Chinese art education and the development of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the founding of the Maximov Oil Painting Training Class seventy years ago marked a pivotal chapter in the evolution of Chinese oil painting in the 20th century. To systematically review and fully showcase the teaching achievements and academic significance of this historic initiative, CAFA Art Museum presents the Retrospective Exhibition of Teaching Achievements of the Maximov Oil Painting Program (1955–1957), running from November 15, 2025 to January 18, 2026. Centered on the major teaching activities of the training class between 1955 and 1957, the exhibition features graduate works from the class selected from the museum’s permanent collection. To ensure a comprehensive presentation, the curatorial team has gathered over 240 exhibits from diverse sources including the National Art Museum of China, Shanghai Art Museum, artists’ families, private collectors and art institutions. The collection encompasses works created by Soviet expert Konstantin Maximov during his tenure in China, indoor and outdoor sketches, study pieces and creative drafts by the class participants. As the most complete, comprehensive and academically insightful exhibition dedicated to the history and artistic value of the Maximov Oil Painting Training Class, this show traces the origins of realistic expression and educational development of Chinese oil painting, and revisits the groundbreaking start of realistic oil painting in higher art education and artistic creation in the early People’s Republic of China.

Energy and Civilization – An Immersive Public Art Education Series Integrating Science and Art,taking the public education and art promotion of the exhibition Energy and Civilization as the carrier and guided by cutting-edge science showcased in the show, this initiative pioneers innovative practices across public services, art education outreach and interdisciplinary artistic expression. The full lineup features thematic lectures, forums, popular science salons, children’s science workshops, professional guided tours for the public, as well as opening light and performance acts and a closing energy-themed electronic music public theatre. Through immersive experiences, the series delivers public outreach that blends science with art education.

Interflowing Artscapes
-- CAFAM International Exchange Research Exhibition from the Collection
Exhibition Dates: September – October 2025
Venue: CAFA Art Museum
Interflowing Artscapes -- CAFAM International Exchange Research Exhibition from the Collection was on view from July 18 to September 3, 2025. It marks the first systematic academic sorting and public presentation of the museum’s international art collection. The exhibition not only showcases its collected artworks and academic achievements, but also serves as a pioneering and valuable exploration for art museums across China to curate exhibitions with a global art historical vision based on their own collections. During the preparation phase, the exhibition received professional guidance from art historians including Yi Ying, Shao Yiyang and Yu Runsheng. More than 200 international artworks were carefully selected, spanning three centuries from 19th-century European oil paintings to contemporary art. Geographically, the pieces cover five continents from the Americas to Oceania. Over 80 percent of the exhibits were displayed to the public for the very first time since being acquired.
The exhibition consists of two sections: International Art Treasures and Chinese Reflections. The first section presents the museum’s global collection vision from the perspective of cultural diversity. The second features works themed on China created by four foreign artists during their stay in the country, showcasing impressions of China through foreign perspectives. Together, they form a two-way observation and dialogue — looking out at the world from within and viewing China from the outside — aiming to reveal the profound significance of cultural exchange and mutual learning. The exhibition not only reflects the museum’s development as well as the achievements of art education and international exchanges at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, but also depicts the landscape of Sino-foreign cultural communication and the global art ecosystem.
| About CAFA Art Museum|
CAFA Art Museum is a professional and international modern art museum integrating academic research, exhibition display, collection conservation and public education. Its history dates back to the early 1950s. As the first professional art exhibition venue built after the founding of the People's Republic of China, it is also among the first batch of National Key Art Museums. Upholding the academic philosophy of inclusiveness, heritage and innovation, the museum serves the society with knowledge, commits itself to building contemporary public cultural spaces, presents the artistic civilizations of humanity to the public from a brand-new perspective, and shares the culture of the times with all sectors of society.
Editor-in-Chief / He Yisha
Editor / Du Yinzhu
