Art beat (May 10-June 30)

Shanghai

International masterpieces

Featuring contemporary engraving work from the Louvre and valuable masterpieces from international collections, the exhibition From Gesture to Language proposes a journey that combines powerful visual and textual constructions in Western and Chinese contemporary art. Drawing, painting, sculpture and installations have been grouped into three main themes: The Power of Language and the Language of Power, Incarnation and Mutations, and Poetics and Writing Space. Exhibition curator Pascal Torres Guardiola, is curator of the Edmond de Rothschild Collection and of the Chalcography Department at the Louvre Museum, Paris.

10 am-6 pm, daily except Mondays, until Aug 11. Rockbund Art Museum, No 20 Huqiu Road, Shanghai. 021-3310-9985.

He family's dedication to art

Suzhou Museum is presenting a special exhibition of donated artwork from He Cheng and his family. He and his children are the largest private donors to the museum, contributing 1,374 valuable pieces to the collection. He Cheng (1880-1946), a native of Shanxi province, moved to Suzhou and built two houses there, devoting the rest of his life collecting antiques. Suzhou Museum has presented the show in memory of the He family's great contribution and dedication to the preservation of history and culture.

9 am-5 pm, daily except Mondays, until June 30. Suzhou Museum, 204 Dongbei Street, Pingjiang district, Suzhou, Jiangsu province. 0512-6757-6011.

Russian conductor in Shanghai

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will present a concert under the baton of Russian conductor Dmitry Sit-kovetsky, featuring cellist Mischa Maisky. The program includes: Lensky's Aria from Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky, Cello Concerto No 1 in E-Flat Major and Symphony No 5 in D Minor, both by Shostakovich.

7:30 pm, May 19. Shanghai Concert Hall, 523 Yan'an Road East, Shanghai. 021-6386-2836.

Individualistic art

The exhibition New Force at Leo Gallery features six emerging artists: Liu Weijian, Sui Changjiang, Wu Xihuang, Zhang Ning, Xiao Jiang and Su Chang. These artists born in the 1980s have set themselves apart from their predecessors, breaking through barriers and expressing their art in a more direct fashion. They are influenced by both Eastern and Western culture. These artists are more sensitive to social issues, possess a firmer grasp of what they want and have a greater willingness to express their thoughts and pursue their own goals.

10 am-6 pm, May 11-June 10. Leo Gallery in Ferguson Lane, 376 Wukang Rd, Shanghai. 021-5465-8785.

Emotional piano recital

[Photo/China Daily]

Polish-Canadian pianist Katarzyna Musial will perform a recital in Shanghai. She has performed both as a soloist and chamber musician throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Musial was the champion of the 2011 Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition in New York. "While I play, I strive to bring out the soul of the music that inspires me, and share its natural beauty and deep emotions with my audience," the musician once said.

7:45 pm, May 15. Shanghai Oriental Art Center, 425 Dingxiang Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai. 021-6854-1234.

Czech music ensemble

Prague Symphony Orchestra will give a concert under conductor Rastislav Stur. The program includes Piano Concerto in A Minor by Edvard Hagerup Grieg, featuring Chinese pianist Sun Yingdi, and Symphony No 9 From the New World by Dvorak. The Prague Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1934 by conductor Rudolf Pekarek, who set the company's grounding in the fields of films, operas and concerts.

7:30 pm, May 18. Shanghai Oriental Art Center, 425 Dingxiang Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai. 021-6854-1234.