One of the founders of the Lingnan School of painting, Gao Qifeng attracted a number of followers despite his short life. He established the Tianfeng (“heavenly breeze”) Studio to teach painting on a secluded island in Guangzhou, where his most outstanding disciples included Chao Shao-an and six other emerging artists. They became known as the “Tianfeng Seven”, and their close relationship frequently saw them organise exhibitions and work on paintings together, and they also set up art societies and taught painting to perpetuate their art.

Showcasing exhibits selected from the collections of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the exhibition explores the early development of the Lingnan School through the works of Gao Qifeng and his disciples.