Recently, Mr. Kang in Tianjin posted a video on social media claiming that some of the 40 calligraphy and painting works donated by his grandfather, Kang Jianzhang, to the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts in 1996 are missing. In 2024, he contacted the academy asking about the whereabouts of the artworks but received no clear response. The video exposure of this incident has attracted widespread attention, leading to the academy’s subsequent response.
Tianjin resident Mr. Kang stated that some of the calligraphy and painting pieces donated by his grandfather Kang Jianzhang to the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts 30 years ago are missing.
On May 6th, Mr. Kang provided relevant materials during an interview. In his donation letter in 1996, Kang Jianzhang mentioned that due to his old age and inability to maintain the collection, he decided to donate the precious calligraphy and paintings to the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts for permanent collection, rather than having them enter the market. The donation certificate shows that the academy decided to include the donated works in its permanent collection, stamped with the school seal, signatures, and the then president’s endorsement. The donation list indicates a total of 40 pieces.
Mr. Kang mentioned that he had previously showcased the donation materials in a live broadcast.
According to the donation list, the calligraphy and paintings include works by famous artists such as Tang Bohu, Huang Tingjian, and Su Shi.
In 2024, Mr. Kang contacted the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts regarding the whereabouts of the artworks but has not yet received a clear response.
According to reports, on May 6th this year, after contacting the Academy’s publicity department, staff members stated that they have connected with the donor’s relatives and the academy will arrange a formal response in the near future.
As reported by “The Paper”, on May 7th, the publicity department of the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts responded saying that the school is currently handling the matter.
On May 7th, the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts once again addressed the issue regarding the whereabouts of some of the calligraphy and paintings donated 30 years ago by Mr. Kang’s grandfather. Academy staff mentioned they have recently contacted Mr. Kang and found some of the information provided by him to be untrue. The academy will issue a public statement regarding this matter.
Subsequently, the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts released a notification stating that recent online discussions about Mr. Kang Jianzhang’s donation of calligraphy and paintings to the school have been examined. It was confirmed that the 40 pieces donated by Kang Jianzhang in 1996 are all securely stored in the inventory of the school. The school is able to verify the storage status of the donated works at a designated location within the campus.
The notification from the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts has sparked further questions, with netizens questioning why it took two years for the academy to provide an explanation if all 40 donated calligraphy and painting works are in storage.