Wu retrospective of ink figures

The exhibition Return to Purity reflects upon the six-decade-long artistic and educational practices of Wu Shanming by displaying his dozens of ink-figure paintings. Wu began studying Chinese painting at the affiliated high school of the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. He has witnessed the transformation of Chinese ink art and been a forerunner in reviving the traditions of figure paintings. The retrospective features the 16-meter-long painting Shangri-la that he created for the exhibition.

9 am-5 pm, until June 9. National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie (Street), Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6400-1476.

SHANGHAI

A circus for children is coming to town

The Immediate is a circus show for children above 8. Camille Boitel is joined by six performers to surprise audiences with a riotous reflection of modern times that is catapulted into reality by breathtaking physical skills, surrealist imagery, apocalyptic optimism and a chaotic, collapsing set. The show has toured extensively in Europe. It starts with a stage packed with furniture, cardboard boxes and ladders. It serves as the playground for performers.

7:15 pm, June 11-12. Shanghai Yihai Theater, 466 Jiangning Road Jing'an district, Shanghai. 021-6256-8282.

Physics in abstraction

In Chi Qun's solo exhibition, the 33-year-old artist creates abstract paintings featuring straight lines on translucent backgrounds. Curator Chao Jiaxing says Chi has been dedicated to the physics concepts of "the line" and "the surface", spending years working on the intricate composition and dramatic evolution of the color shades. "After years of seemingly dull and ordinary work, she achieves metallic and silky luster on her paintings. It looks like a reflection," says the curator.

9:30 am-6 pm, Tuesdays-Sundays, May 9-July 8. M50 Art Space, Room 101, Building 15, 50 Moganshan Road, Putuo district, Shanghai. 021-6277-6123.

GUANGZHOU

Foot-stomping with Prokofiev

Patricia Kopatchinskaja will team up with Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra to perform Sergei Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No 2 and Romeo and Juliet Suite. Yu Long will take the baton. Born in Moldova, Kopatchinskaja moved with her family to Vienna where she studied music. She specializes in modern works and embraces a highly personal style when performing. For example she likes being barefoot either when she rehearses or performs onstage, and stamping her feet hard.

8 pm, June 14. Symphony Hall, Xinghai Concert Hall, 33 Qingbo Lu (Road), Ersha Island, Yuexiu district, Guangzhou. 020-8735-8735.

150-year French chronicle of China

Paris-Beijing: French Focus on China, 1844-2014 displays more than 200 photos, mostly in black-and-white, taken by French soldiers, diplomats, missionaries, artists and travelers over the past one and a half centuries. Through their lenses, viewers get to see the connections between two countries and cultures, and these personal stories, some well-known and others obscure, that will resonate with people of today.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays, until July 6. Guangdong Museum of Art, 38 Yanyu Road, Ersha Island, Yuexiu district, Guangzhou. 020-8735-1468.

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