Yan Pei-Ming’s “A Burial in Shanghai” Makes Its U.S. Debut at MCASD

This spring, the U.S. debut of A Burial in Shanghai brings a new level of intensity to San Diego’s art scene.

Featuring a deeply personal and evocative trio of monumental paintings by internationally acclaimed Chinese artist Yan Pei-Ming, the exhibition opens at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), offering a rare and immersive experience that blends legacy, loss, and the human condition on a grand scale.

Monumental Paintings, Intimate Emotion

Yan Pei-Ming, renowned for his expressive black-and-white portraiture, presents three massive canvases—Celestial Mountain, The Farewell, and My Mother—in this landmark exhibition.

Originally shown at Paris’s Musée d’Orsay, the works draw on both Western art history and the artist’s personal story, reflecting on mortality, family, and the passage of time.

The Farewell, the emotional centerpiece, is a direct homage to Gustave Courbet’s 19th-century masterwork A Burial at Ornans, yet infused with Ming’s own cultural and familial memories.

internationally acclaimed Chinese artist Yan Pei-Ming — Panneau no 2, “Un enterrement de Shanghai”

Made Possible by MCASD’s New Space

Displayed in the museum’s newly expanded Iris and Matthew Strauss West Gallery, the scale and depth of this exhibition would not have been possible before MCASD’s recent transformation. Measuring up to 16 by 24 feet, each canvas demands attention and offers a powerful moment of reflection.

Opening Night Details

You’re invited to attend the free opening, with a special in-gallery talk featuring Yan Pei-Ming and scholar Dr. Kuiyi Shen at 5 PM. It’s a rare opportunity to hear directly from the artist and experience his work up close.