Affiliated doctoral researcher Nora Wölfing of the Research Training Group GRK 2833 “East Asian Futures” will give a lecture on the late painter Qiu Shihua (1940–2025), titled “Durch den Nebel – Qiu Shihua, Maler der Leere” (Through the Fog – Qiu Shihua, Painter of Emptiness).
The lecture (held in German) will take place at the RUB Art Museum “Museum unter Tage” in the Schlosspark Weitmar, Bochum on Sunday, 15 February 2026, starting at 11 AM. You are all cordially invited to join and learn more about the “white paintings” by Qiu Shihua.
Further information
“Durch den Nebel – Qiu Shihua, Maler der Leere” provides insights into the painter’s work and life. At the same time, the lecture places Qiu Shihua’s oeuvre in the broader context of recent Chinese art history and global contemporary art.
Qiu Shihua (1940–2025) is internationally renowned for his ‘white paintings’. The monochrome-looking landscape depictions invite us to take a closer look and consider what it means to view and depict landscape. How much time do we take to look at a picture? Qiu Shihua’s paintings demand attention and time – two highly sought-after and fiercely contested commodities in the age of clickbaiting and scrolling. For the white landscapes, veiled as if by thick fog, slow, empathetic and calm viewing is central to understanding Qiu Shihua’s works. The lecture will answer these questions, explaining why his paintings do not seem outdated, but are rather important right now.
Embedded in the exhibition “Worldviews: Landscapes in Art since the 15th Century” at the Museum unter Tage, a room is dedicated to the works of Qiu Shihua. Following the lecture, there will be an opportunity to view and discuss the works together.
Nora Wölfing is an art historian and sinologist. She specialises in contemporary art from China and is currently completing her doctorate on media art from China. Nora Wölfing teaches at the Technical University of Berlin, writes for national and international art magazines, gives lectures, and curates exhibitions and events.