Gu Liming, a pioneer in exploring contemporary expressions of ancient Chinese cultural heritage, has created a series of abstract artworks inspired by the paintings, calligraphy and clothes excavated from the Mawangdui tomb of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC - AD24).

Gu is currently a professor of the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University.

The works are now being showcased at the exhibition titled From Mawangdui to Shanshui Fu: Gu Liming's Artistic Language Transformation at Bund18 Jiushi Art Gallery in Shanghai. On show are 76 artworks, including oil paintings, water color paintings, prints, ceramic and installation art.

According to Zhang Xiaoling, the curator of the exhibition, Gu has continuously reinvented himself throughout his career and intricately combined western abstract art with traditional Chinese visual and aesthetic expressions

Zhang added that Gu's artistic experience and achievements have provided a new approach for contemporary Chinese artists to make use of traditional cultural resources.

The exhibition is open for free from August 4 to Oct 16.

Editor: Guo Lili