The Long Museum (Chongqing) will present Light within Ink: Portraits of Wu Guanzhong through Chua Soo Bin’s Lens from November 9, 2025 to March 1, 2026. The exhibition features over 60 pieces of photographic portraits of Wu Guanzhong shot by Chua Soo Bin between the 1980s to 2000.

Chua Soo Bin is a remarkable Singaporean photographer and a Cultural Medallion award recipient. From 1985 to 2000, he continuously documented the creative life of Wu Guanzhong, capturing Wu’s artistic practice, his life and emotions through his lens. During this period, Wu Guanzhong kept pushing the boundaries of his artistic exploration in terms of formal and abstract beauty, and presented exhibitions in Singapore, Britain, France and Japan. His far-reaching influence formed an important impetus for Chinese art to be seen on the global stage. This precious collection of photographic portraits on view cast a vivid light on Wu Guanzhong’s vibrant experiences while working and traveling in Singapore, Indonesia, UK and France. These photographs are not only valuable archives of the Chinese art master but also a rare opportunity for audience to revisit the elegant demeanor and charisma of the master in his later years.

In 2020, the Long Museum (Chongqing) presented Legends: Chua Soo Bin’s Photographs of Twentieth-Century Chinese Art Masters, which featured portraits of 14 masters of Chinese painting in their late years under the lens of Chua Soo Bin. That exhibition was acclaimed by critics and audience alike. It’s worth mentioning that it was thanks to the shooting of the “legends” series that Chua got to know Wu Guanzhong. The two of them hit it off immediately, leading to a friendship that spanned more than 20 years. The photographs on view in this exhibition also provides an opportunity for audience to gain insights into their precious friendship through these beautifully intimate portraits. Light within Ink: Portraits of Wu Guanzhong through Chua Soo Bin’s Lens marks a new step taken by the Long Museum in the study and curation of thematic exhibition featuring portrait photography. Upon the receiving of this generous donation of photographs by Mr. Chua Soo Bin, the Long Museum started the conception of this exhibition. The vivid moments captured in the photographs cast light on Wu Guanzhong’s spiritual world. I believe the exhibition will undoubtedly evoke new inspirations and feelings among the audience.