Just 20 years in the making, China's contemporary art scene is a fresh canvas. Without the entrenched stability that comes from decades-old institutions and networks in the West, and a population without much art education or familiarity with exhibition culture, China's creators and curators experiment free from the excess baggage of past ideas and tastes. Artists have dipped their brushes into social media trends, turning their works into viral short-videos, while art museums walk the fine line between educating the public and enticing young visitors eager for photogenic snapshots. Meanwhile, art NFTs from Chinese creators are popping up (both legally and illegally) online, tapping into the global craze but making regulators nervous. Beyond the city sprawl, art communes and installations struggle to use their creativity to fuel rural revitalization. In this issue's cover story, we investigate the many sides to China's burgeoning art scenes, and find a picture that is colorful and sometimes kitsch.