A Shen Yun-inspired art exhibition celebrating the 20th anniversary of Shen Yun Performing Arts has been extended through Sept. 30 at New Middletown in Middletown, NY, following strong interest from local residents and art enthusiasts.
The exhibition opened Aug. 1 at New Middletown, 29 North St., with more than 100 people attending the opening reception. Middletown Mayor Joseph M. DeStefano and other community members joined the unveiling of A New Era Begins, the largest work in the exhibition.
Originally scheduled to run for one month, the exhibition was extended for an additional month after visitors expressed interest in having more time to view the works.
“We want to extend it to the end of September, Sept. 30,” said Meng Fei, a designer with Shen Yun Collections. “It is because many art lovers and consumers wanted to come see the exhibition, but they also wanted more time to appreciate it. After receiving this kind of feedback, we thought we could extend it for another month.”
A different view of Shen Yun
The exhibition features 20 new works based on scenes from Shen Yun performances over the past 20 years. For some visitors, the paintings offer a way to revisit moments they have seen on stage; for others, they provide a first introduction to the imagery and themes associated with Shen Yun.
For the best of our weekly content！
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Check your email to complete sign up
Meng said one of the most noticeable aspects of the collection is its use of color.
“I feel the response has been very enthusiastic,” she said. “Actually, whether it is decorative art for the home or art displayed in galleries and museums, the colors are often relatively dark.”
By contrast, she said, the works in this collection draw from Shen Yun’s stage designs and use a richer palette.
“Shen Yun’s artworks, because they commemorate its 20th anniversary, are all taken from classic scenes from Shen Yun’s performances over the years, so the colors are very rich,” she said.
She added that the colors follow the traditional combinations used in Shen Yun’s stage productions.
“It makes people feel that it is very fresh and new, and very bright and radiant, bringing people a beautiful feeling,” Meng said. “This is what everyone feels is the most impressive.”
The collection also brings together memorable scenes from performances across the past two decades, allowing longtime Shen Yun audiences to reconnect with familiar moments.
“The 20 pieces actually bring together many of the classic scenes from previous years,” Meng said. “They can also awaken people’s memories of Shen Yun.”
From stage to fine art
Among the works on display, A New Era Begins is the largest. Its imagery depicts a celestial gathering in which divine beings respond to the call of the Creator to descend to Earth and begin a new era of civilization.
The artwork is presented as a FineArt giclée print, a high-resolution printing process used to reproduce detailed colors, tonal transitions, and fine textures.
The prints in the exhibition are produced on Hahnemühle Museum Etching paper from Germany, a 100 percent cotton paper designed for archival FineArt printing. The paper has a finely textured surface intended to add depth to the printed image while maintaining the character of traditional art paper.
The process also uses light-resistant pigment inks and archival materials. According to the exhibition information, when properly preserved, the prints can potentially remain stable for approximately 200 years.
Meng said an additional protective coating is applied to the paper after printing as part of the production process.
The combination of paper, ink and printing technique is intended to preserve the color and detail of the original digital artwork over an extended period.
Mayor highlights arts and community
Middletown Mayor Joseph M. DeStefano, who attended the opening reception, said the exhibition reflects the positive relationship between the city and Shen Yun Productions and Fei Tian College.
“We’ve had such a positive relationship with this facility, with Shen Yun Productions and Fei Tian College,” DeStefano said. “The positive economic benefits to our community, and the cultural benefits—you know—a diverse city, a diverse community, sharing in everyone’s culture.”
He said events like the exhibition also contribute to Middletown’s presence in the arts and bring visitors into the city.
“It gives the community credibility in the arts field,” DeStefano said. “It’s something that has worldwide name recognition.”
The mayor noted that visitors coming for cultural events may also spend time in downtown Middletown, adding, “People come in, they go have coffee, they have dinner, they just walk around downtown and enjoy the community.”
DeStefano also encouraged residents to support local arts and cultural activities.
“Everyone likes the arts, but not everyone supports the arts,” he said. “We want to encourage people to come out to events like this and show their support.”
A collection that will continue to change
The current exhibition is also different from the collection presented last year. In 2025, 16 works were exhibited. Seven of those works remain available, while 20 new works were introduced for the 20th anniversary collection.
The 27 works are currently offered through Shen Yun Collections, but Meng said the selection will not necessarily remain unchanged.
“Every year we will make adjustments,” she said. “For example, if next year we release five new works based on the new performances, we may correspondingly reduce some of the 20 works released this year.”
That means some works may eventually no longer be available.
“So the artwork that a customer buys could very well become an out-of-print edition,” Meng said.
The collection is expected to develop alongside future Shen Yun performances, with new works introduced periodically.
For local residents who have not yet visited, the exhibition will remain at New Middletown through Sept. 30, offering an opportunity to view the 20th anniversary collection in person.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival period, Sept. 9–27, selected artworks featuring moon-palace themes will be offered at discounts of up to 10 percent. Some traditional Chinese ornaments will also be offered at special holiday prices.
Comments