Chinese ink master Zhang Xing recently held a solo exhibition at ION Art in Singapore of over 60 works, where viewers can explore his contemporary expression of traditional themes.

Hailing from the city of Kunshan, in the coastal province of Jiangsu, Professor Zhang Xing draws rich inspiration for his paintings from the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Known for his audacious and expressive style in Chinese folk painting, Zhang brings the beauty of birds, flowers and mountains in his hometown to life in bold renderings.

Zhang learned his skills and techniques from certain masters. In addition to Qian Juntao and Liu Haisu, he studied the art of painting under the tutelage of Zhang Jixin, a master artist known for his bird-and-flower paintings; he was also a disciple of Professor Chen Dayu, a renowned calligrapher and painter.

His search for contemporary expression of traditional themes forges a new path in Chinese folk painting.

He has acquired a notable reputation in the art industry and serves in numerous national and international associations – including the Sino-Japanese Artist Exchange Association, the Arts and Crafts Artist Association, the Jiangsu Aesthetic Association of China, and the Chinese Notable Painting & Calligraphy Academy. He is an academician at the Art Research Institute of China.

His 73-meter-long ink and wash painting Misty Rain in the South of Yangtze River appears in the Guinness Book of World Records.

In March 1998, Zhang's painting Morning Songs from Fishing Boats was selected by the Hong Kong government as a gift to American President Bill Clinton; and in November 2007 his painting Great Achievement was given to former British prime minister Tony Blair as a national gift.

In 2002，an art museum was established in Jinxi, a suburban town in Kunshan, to display Zhang's master pieces.

From July 16-24, Zhang will mount the solo exhibition at Hou Beiren Art Museum, Kunshan.