Ink landscapes explore new terrain

Contemporary ink-wash painter Lu Yushun will present his retrospective at the National Art Museum of China from Sept 9 to 15. About 160 of his representative pieces created in the past 30 years will be on display.

Born and raised in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, Lu is best known for his portraits of vast and mysterious northern landscapes. He borrows from the painting techniques of the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, as well as the use of lights and colors from Western art. His paintings demonstrate an extremely sophisticated use of ink and his philosophical ruminations.

Zhang Xiaoling, deputy director of the China National Academy of Painting, says Lu is "unrivaled" in Northeast China and even in the entire country, in terms of the "grand narrative of the sacred landscape".