Anna Zhao, Chen Hongjuan

    anna.whizh@yahoo.com

    MORE than 60 figure paintings by contemporary artist Luo Ning are being exhibited at Guan Shanyue Art Museum through Wednesday.

    Traditional Chinese women are the predominant figures in the paintings, but unlike traditional Chinese paintings of ladies full of elegance and grace, the artist tends to explore the beauty of ordinary women in life, in particular the ethnic minority women at the lower social stratus in western China.

    Most of the paintings capture moments of women in ethnic costumes at work, but they do not put on dull faces indicating life’s toils wearing them out — instead, they take on peaceful or sometimes sprightly complexions.

    In the artist’s eyes, women embody nature’s beauty, and the beauty in women — curvy bodies with exuberant sexual appeal — is not something that is represented by popular culture but is integrated in their natural posture, their healthy physic, and their devotion to family life and work.

    The artist is good at seeking inspiration from ordinary people and captures moments that reveal the truth of human nature. He seems to be conveying cheerfulness and optimism for life through his portrayal of young women.

    In the painting “Sunny Days,” happiness is overflowing with the soft smile of a young girl cuddled in the hug of her family.

    The painting “The Impression of the Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province” is brimming with the youthful beauty of Dai ethnic minority girls even though the view is from behind them.

    In “Flowers in Four Seasons,” the lively faces of young girls basking in the sunshine are just like flowers in blossom.

    The artist’s close inspection of ordinary life may reflect his early upbringing and work as an art teacher and media photographer before he landed his current job as curator of the Shaanxi Province Art Museum. He said every step of his transformation is just like opening a different door for him in the palace of art.

    The exhibition’s curator Zhang Yu said that while primarily exploring beauty in the world, the artist has chosen to portray plain human figures in the real world, which makes him quite different from other artists. “His achievement may not be abreast of mainstream artists who came from famous art academies, but he is plowing a way out with his own plain style,” Zhang said.

    Art critic Xiao Yunru said Luo’s paintings are traditional paintings with realistic depictions, but the artist has transcended tradition to forge his unique style by composing dynamic pictures with the use of bright colors and lines.

    The paintings on exhibition will tour to Nanjing in Jiangsu Province, Ninbo in Zhejiang Province and Weifang in Shangdong Province after leaving Shenzhen.

    Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., through Wednesday

    Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Hongli Road, Futian District (福田区红荔路6026号关山月美术馆)

    Metro: Longhua Line, Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit C