Art beat... finger on the pulse

Huge Titanic events

The Shanghai Maritime Museum is hosting an exhibition featuring a 1:100 model of the Titanic. Visitors can also learn emergency escape tips and make miniature Titanic models. Lucky draw winners get a free trip to Belfast in Northern Ireland, where the ship was constructed.

Until May 13. Shanghai Maritime Museum, 197 Shengang Dadao, Lingang Xincheng, Pudong, Shanghai. 021-3828-7777.

Looking back

Veteran ink artist Song Huimin is staging his first retrospective solo show at the National Art Museum of China, to showcase more than 60 oil paintings he has created over the past decades.

Song once served as professor and president of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in Shenyang, Liaoning province, and vice-chairman of the Chinese Oil Art Society.

His well-known works include the signature portrayal of Cao Xueqin, author of Chinese literary classic Dreams of the Red Mansion, and a panoramic depiction of the historic Battle of the Red Cliff, that occurred in the winter of 208 AD in central Hubei province.

9 am-5 pm, until May 15. National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6400-1476.

Book of art

The second China Nationwide Art Exhibition of Book Illustrations is running until May 15 at the National Art Museum of China.

The bi-annual event, organized by the Chinese Artists Association, presents more than 100 shortlisted works by illustrators and artists. After its Beijing debut, the exhibition will move to Shanghai, Shenyang, and Urumqi.

9 am-5 pm, until May 15. National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6400-1476.

Under the hammer

The preview of China Guardian International Auctions' spring sales is being held until May 12 at the Convention Center of the Beijing International Hotel, and all exhibits will go under the hammer from May 12-15 in the same venue.

More than 3,800 items are on sale. They include Chinese ink art, porcelain, ancient furnishings, oil paintings, rare and extant books, jewelry, ancient coins and vintage stamps.

Among the eye-catching exhibits are a hand-scroll by Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)artist Yun Shouping, a huge scroll by modern ink master Li Keran and birds-and-flowers paintings by Qi Baishi.

Other highlights include 12 vintage pieces of furniture made of scented rosewood once collected by Italian art dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi, and a manuscript by Chinese novelist and thinker Lu Xun. 9:30 am-6 pm, May 12. Beijing International Hotel, 9 Jianguomennei Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6512-6688.

Bid for masterpieces

The preview of the Beijing Huachen Auctions' spring sales runs until May 11 at the Radegast Hotel CBD Beijing, and exhibits will go under the hammer in the same venue in the following days.

The exhibition comprises more than 1,000 exhibits in 11 categories, including Suzhou embroidery, Chinese ink art, vintage photos, oil art, porcelain, and arts and crafts.

Highlights include calligraphic masterpieces by Aisin Gioro Qi Gong, calligraphic scrolls by Buddhist masters, ink master Fu Baoshi's 1948 Scroll of Bao Yan Mansion, and veteran oil artist Jin Shangyi's portrayal of Dr Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic of China.

9 am-5 pm, May 11. Radegast Hotel CBD Beijing, 15 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-8588-5588.

Art depicts heritage

Song Huimin's first retrospective show at the National Art Museum of China

Du Pu, a veteran oil artist from Suzhou, Jiangsu province, is holding his first solo show at Peking University in Beijing.

On display are 43 oil depictions of World Heritage sites in China.

Since 2002, Du has been traveling across the country to capture the beauty of major natural and cultural heritages sites at his own expense.

For each of the sites, he also publishes a catalog and a book, and donates them to local schools. Du's goal is to create a museum to house all his world heritage oil paintings in the future.

9 am-5 pm, until May 16. Gallery of the Centenary Auditorium of the Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Lu, Haidian district, Beijing. 010-6276-8588, 6275-2278.