Wayfarer of distant highlands

She says that to capture the sublime beauty of the highlands, Li Xiaoke trekked for 11 days to reach the uninhabited land near the source of the Yangtze River. On a journey to the source of the Yellow River, he used a bicycle pump to inflate a car tire at an altitude of over 4,000 meters.

Through his lens, viewers are taken to Mount Kailash, also known as Mount Gang Rinpoche, in Ngari prefecture of Xizang, the mysterious ruins of the ancient Guge kingdom, and the Mount Qomolangma base camp, where silence and stillness define the world's highest peak.

Liu says he also built close friendships within local artistic and cultural circles during his stays in highland areas. He "worked tirelessly" to promote Tibetan art and culture by organizing exhibitions and training programs for local painters.

In the 1970s, Li Xiaoke spent much of his time accompanying his father on travels and public engagements. It was during an early expedition to the source of the Yangtze River with friends that he discovered his identity as an artist. His repeated journeys to the plateau also reflected his father's belief that "an artist should study two great books attentively — nature and tradition".

At the current exhibition, a large moving image is projected on a long wall, combining Li Xiaoke's paintings of snowy mountains and drifting clouds with footage of the artist walking alone along a snowy mountain trail, his back turned to the audience as he leaves footprints behind him.

"The snow-covered land is vast, boundless, and magnificently beautiful, yet stark and harsh. When one steps into it, one is inexplicably moved," Li Xiaoke once said.