The teaching of tradition

In 2004, the China National Academy of Painting set up mentoring workshops so that its resources would benefit artists outside Beijing.

The academy encouraged resident artists to open studios and take on students — especially younger-generation artists outside the capital — and help them brush up their skills and improve their artistry.

So far, around 40 artists have operated workshops under the mechanism, some of whom are not members of the academy and are running the studios by invitation.

An exhibition now on at the academy marks this two-decade endeavor with a display of the latest work produced by the mentors and their students.

Cheng Dali, an ink artist and mentor, says the mentoring system has allowed him and his students to think about ways of carrying on the xieyi tradition, a spontaneous and expressive way of painting that transcribes the idea or the spirit of things, not their appearance.

Sculptor Deng Ke says she is pleased to have been able to share her experience with everyone who has attended the workshops, and who has come from all across the country, no matter the material with which they are working.