A man of art and nature

Sun says Zhu's fine use of mineral colors and of the gongbi method of classic Chinese painting, which defines the subjects with smooth delimitations, conveys a sense of eternity.

Late artist of repute Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010), who was a colleague of Zhu at the Academy of Arts and Design, once said Zhu painted flowers because he wanted to show the expansiveness of the cosmos and a spirit of compassion: "The magnolia flowers in full bloom are like a sky illuminated by stars, representing all lives in the whole world, and there are a few yellow warblers between the white blossoms and branches, (it is like) the lives are guarded and protected by other lives."

Song of the Soaring Kite makes another surprise appearance at the exhibition. The painting, which Zhu created in 1988 for a hotel wall in Weifang, Shandong province, is shown for the first time, along with other smaller drafts donated by the family.

The work celebrates Weifang's time-honored kite-making and flying tradition, which also hosts an annual international kite festival that attracts both domestic and international guests.

Sun says this piece again showcases Zhu's mature control of color arrangements. The kites, resembling stars in the sky, are well organized in motion to deliver a harmonious sense of rhythm.

Zhu's works embody eye-pleasing structures and peaceful ambience derived from his long-term study of decorative motifs in traditional arts and crafts. He once said, "The sense of rhythm embedded in these old patterns, like music, partly came from people's experiences with changes in nature. Meanwhile, they were formed over the long course of people's hard work."

Zhu practiced his design process the same way. He spent hours, days, and even months sketching in the outdoors to preserve nature's vividness with as much detail as possible.

"People ask, puzzlingly, is it worth spending a day in the scorching sun just to paint a tree? I say it is so worth it, because it takes dozens or even hundreds of years for a tree to grow high and strong, while only a day for me to depict it, and more importantly, show its vigor," he said.

Lu Xiaobo, director of the Tsinghua University Art Museum, says it is not only a moment to pay tribute to an accomplished man of art, but also a journey for people to build a relationship with nature.