Spring is the most charming season in Wuhan University. With cherry blossoms in full bloom, a sense of freshness fills the air on Mount Luojia.

From March 8 to May 8, the Wanlin Art Museum of Wuhan University held a painting exhibition during which 20 well-known artists mainly from Wuhan City exhibited nearly 100 fine art pieces, including Chinese painting, oil painting, printmaking, watercolour and other forms of painting, offering an artistic feast for the audience in the most beautiful university during the most beautiful season.

The welcome board of the art exhibition

Spectators admiring the paintings

Upon entering the art museum, spectators from different walks of life who had come from all over the country, connected immediately within the quiet atmosphere, in awe of the marvelous paintings facing them.

Careful observation of the painting the ‘E Era’

Many of the spectators were attracted by Wei Guangqing, one of the most famous masters in the field of Pop Art. One of his paintings, The Age of Materialism, was once published in Time magazine. The “red wall”, as a cultural symbol, has become a distinctive feature of his paintings. Wei combines this traditional symbol with modern elements like e-era, digital codes, the English word “China” and current socially sensitive topics. Through this innovative combination of the traditional with the new, his work stands in contrast to mainstream art. His works in this exhibition included Zhuzi Parental Instruction, Painting Manual of the Mustard Seed Garden (Jieziyuan Painting Collection), the ‘E Era’ and For the Love of Money.

The painting ‘For the Love of Money’ has a special attraction for spectators

In addition to contemporary styles, the works of several painters committed to reinventing the traditional Chinese ink painting were on display. Zhang Quan’s paintings are examples. Instead of directly describing the world in a traditional way, he combined western techniques with the idea of a partial view painted in Chinese conventional ink and paper, to create a new kind of art. Up close, only traces of thick and light ink are visible, but from a distance, elephant, pagoda and mountains all appear in full view.

Zhang Quan’s painting, The Elephant

Zhang Quan’s painting, Nameless Pagoda

Wandering through the sea of art, accompanied by the vivid narratives of the volunteers of the Wanlin Art Museum, the visitors often lost track of time, lingering on and extending their time spent at WHU. During cherry blossom season, indoor viewing of paintings and outdoor viewing of flowers are in perfect harmony, and people inside and outside the art museum enjoy an aesthetic feast for the senses.

Photo by Zhao Jiaxi

Edit by Qin Zehao, Wei Yena, Qin Shihan