Liu Wanming, an ink artist who heads the China National Academy of Painting, says he is surprised that "many painters insist on exploring creation in large format, a challenging undertaking to blend techniques and content well".

An example at the exhibition is Through Thick and Thin, 2.4 meters in height and 2 meters in length, which won Luo Yuxin, an ink painter from Guangdong province, a gold prize at the exhibition.

On a technical level, she presents the brilliance of the minimalist style of classic Chinese painting in which a painter utilizes varying shades of black and white, and a serene mood accentuated by the liubai technique — applying white to create areas of "blankness".

Luo created the work out of concern over the years for endangered species and biodiversity and to raise awareness for the biology of the polar regions. It depicts a peaceful scene in which a family of polar bears enjoy a moment on the ice and below the water with fish swimming joyfully.

The composition is employed from the flower and bird genre of classic Chinese painting, which Luo specializes in, while reminding people of a pressing environmental problem that "can take a toll on the future of humanity", Luo says.

She adds that she seeks to enrich naturalism in traditional ink art by addressing the coexistence of people and other life and the construction of an ecological civilization.

Contact the writer at [email protected]