An exhibition showcasing more than 200 oil paintings by contemporary Guangdong artists is open at Guan Shanyue Art Museum through Aug. 14.

    Centered on the interaction between “image and discourse” in oil painting, the exhibition highlights achievements of young artists who are seeking their unique artistic expressions.

    The exhibited works were chosen from 900 submissions by artists based in Guangdong, and 25 paintings were awarded for creativity and technique.

    The artists have experimented with different techniques in their expressions. For example, “Tribute” by He Xiaochun creates a nostalgic tone by borrowing elements from traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting; artist Liao Qingfeng gave his painting a fresh rendering through artistic processing of photograph collages in his “Blue Bird”; artist Han Weina created a unique visual impact similar to assembling staggered images together; He Ruting’s “Paradize Lost” used cartoonish expressions.

    Zhan Jianjun, president of the oil painting school at the China National Academy of Painting, said the exhibition shows diversity among artists in Guangdong, where China’s oil painting originated.

    “Guangdong boasts a good pioneering and audience base for contemporary oil painting. Many talented young artists are springing up with more bold and open-minded exploration into painting techniques and artistic ideas. Their works have shown great regional characteristics,” Zhan said.

    Xu Qinsong, chairman of Guangdong Artists Association, said he saw delightful progress in this year’s works compared to those of two years ago. “Paintings at this year’s exhibition presented multiple perspectives on our social and cultural life through more matured artistic skills,” Xu said.

    Lin Yongkang, vice chairman of Guangdong Artists Association, said it’s of significant academic value to open a discussion about images and discourse through the exhibition. Normally, contemporary oil painters emphasize the story-telling characteristics of the images in their works.

    However, Lin said, there is a tendency that the beauty of the image is excessively emphasized, that the narrative purpose of a painting gives way to the beauty of the image, and sometimes painting is replaced by the digital photographic process for the sake of better images, which has become a conspicuous problem for contemporary oil painting.

    With regard to this problem, the curators of the exhibition aim to heed the suggestions of young artists to give a fair presentation of both beautiful images and the narrative purpose central to oil painting.

    “We hope artists can take into consideration factors of image, viewer’s perspective, and an artist’s instincts in their creations,” Lin said.

    Dates: Until Aug. 14

    Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

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

    Metro: Longhua or Longgang Line, Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit B(Anna Zhao)