Liu Xuguang, an artist, as well as vice-director of the Fine Arts Department and director of the New Media Art Lab at the Beijing Film Academy, agreed to meet with me and show me his studio. We arranged to get together at his office at the Academy. Liu studied in Japan and lived there for a number of years. It was interesting listening to him talk about his art and philosophy. He was greatly influenced by traditional Japanese and Chinese art traditions, but interpreted them in a contemporary and abstract style. His goal, as he described it, was to create a universal language through his art. Much of his art is a meditation on the philosophy of Yin and Yang, black and white. Using rice paper as his canvas, he incorporates ink, paint, and rust into images that express a sense of time, space, and rhythm. Towards the end of my visit, he showed me a long accordion-style book that he made and filled with his artwork. It was meant to be read like a Chinese scroll, each panel representing an idea and together representing a larger concept. It was a beautiful work to view and I felt inspired as I left his studio. Since I was close to the famous 798 Arts District, I decided to visit there again - this time in the daylight. There was a print maker's expo taking place with beautiful examples of contemporary and traditional Chinese prints.

Prof. Liu opening his artist's book

Details of several panels from the book