Wang Yacheng.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Meanwhile, underlying his bold, unrestrained strokes, Wang conveys an emotional attachment to his cultural identity, according to Peng Feng, the exhibition curator.

When Wang entered the University of St. Etienne in France to learn modern painting, he was an ambitious young painter who had garnered fame at home. But his works were criticized by his teachers for lacking in soul. That became a turning point for Wang, and it took him many years to find out what he wanted to communicate, rather than just showcasing his skills.

He then abandoned the realistic, representational style that had won him prizes at home, and he turned to an abstract style through which he sought to convey the philosophical depth of Chinese aesthetics.

"He visualizes the flow of spiritual vitality and surges of life by applying bright colors on a background of overwhelming darkness," says Feng. "And he creates in his works a circulation of energies that empower people's minds, keeping them in harmony with the soil and the universe."

If you go

9 am-5 pm, through April 27. 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6400-1476.