My visit to the Sunyard Art Cultural Center, situated in the landscape of Hangzhou’s West lake, began with a serene welcome. Upon arriving, I was greeted by lush, greenery, and fresh air. The ascending staircase leading to the gallery reminded me of the solemn approach of a traditional Chinese temple. Inside, the space unfolded as a peaceful sanctuary, with chairs and long tables thoughtfully arranged to encourage social gatherings and dialogue.

I was warmly received by the gallery’s art consultant, Ms. Molly, who generously guided me through the space. She introduces me to the current exhibition, provided a brief insight into the center’s history, and initiated a conversation about the featured artist, Huang Linjun. Her solo exhibition, “The Infinite Shore”, brings together works from her “Series of Fun Journey”, “Series of Habitat”, and “Waves” series, offering a comprehensive view of her artistic journey.

Born in 1991 in Chongqing, Huang Linjun is deeply connected to her artistic roots and surroundings. She completed both her Bachelor’s (2014) and Master’s (2020) degrees at the prestigious Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts. This extensive education, combined with her environment, has profoundly shaped her artistic principles and ideologies.

The New Ink Movement

While classical Chinese art is renowned for its ink-painted mountains and poetry, the Republican Era (around 1949) marked a turning point. Pioneers like Xu Beihong and Lin Fengmian sought to modernized the tradition by integrating Western techniques and perspective.

Also known as Contemporary Ink Painting, The New Ink Movement is a significant and continously evolving force. It doesn’t abandon tradition but transforms it, breaking free from strict, classical norms while still honoring the core elements of ink, brush and paper.

Much like European modernism, this movement is defined by its spirit of exploration and reform. Artist experiment with techniques like splashing, staining, and pouring and may even incorporate mixed media or digital formats. The conceptual depth is a never-ending exploration; it’s not merely about aesthetics, but often represents a dynamic and thoughtful dialogue between tradition and modernity.

Exhibition Title: **“The Infinite Shore”**
Artist: Huang Linjun
Date: September 20, 2025- October 21, 2025
Academic Host: Pang Maokun
Curator: Han Jing
Producer: Yan Xiaorong
Gallery: Sunyart Art Culture Center (West Lake Space)
Location: No. 84 Beishan Street, MingSpace, Hangzhou, China

Huang Linjun: As a Contemporary Artist

Huang Linjun’s work embodies her deep artistic roots and honors her cultural heritage. Her contribution to today’s art in China redefines the “ink” medium, proving that it is no longer confined to blank ink. Instead, she blends traditional methods with techniques and mediums available to the contemporary artist. She applies her vibrant, explosive, layered hues in a way that values spontaneity and flow, using unpredictable strokes as a metaphor in her art. The combination of staining, flowing, and dripping in her work creates boundless possibilities for the evolution of art.

The visions and dialogues embodied in her work represent a true contemporary artist, like many who believe in modernizing art, she refuses to be confined by convention, instead exploring new possibilities that lead to a wide array of discoveries. Mastering this craft and ideology allows her to bring Chinese art to a global audience while preserving its rich culture. Her career is a story of resilience and expansion, serving as an inspiration for contemporary artists.

Series of Fun Journey

The Series of Fun Journey was inspired by Huang Linjun’s life in Chongqing. The subjects in this series are from her memory– the actual natural landscape that she has seen in her journeys. She uses the traditional method of Chinese painting, infusing it with modern ideas on making landscape paintings. In her art, the dialogue of “Timelessness of nature contrasts the shortness of human life.”

The forests, lakes, and mountains last for thousands of years, in her art, she depicted that our lives as humans are shorter. That said, these series are her testimony of respect towards the "witnesses of time”.

Huang, Linjun. *The Little Pool No. 6.* 2023, Sunyard Art Cultural Center, Hangzhou.

Series of Fun Journey: The Little Pool No. 6

70x60 cm, Oil on Canvas

2023

This art piece shows a pond covered in a lush greenery of plants and trees. You can see rocks along the pathways, and she used bold strokes to create plants. The strokes suddenly change in direction, showing the border where the plants meet the water. When you step back, it’s interesting how you see the whole picture clearly.

Her color palette is interesting. Through layering, she creates a dreamy, nostalgic mood. Vibrant green and light green colors sit on top of burnt sienna, which she used for brown leaves and tree branches. Starting from the top left, where the branches are, she used layering to create a real sense of depth. For the rocks, she used warmer tones like reds and browns to contrast with the cooler colors around them. She used softer strokes to show the surface of the stone, which also contrasts with the free-flowing water. Finally, she put a sharper line at the bottom of the stones to help more define their boundaries. For the waters itself, she used a mix of colors such as blue, red, brown, violet, and green to represent reflections.

What interests me the most is the overall effect of fluidity in her work. You can see it starting from the middle of the painting, from the part of the upper branches down to the lower bottom, where some colors look like they’re dripping down. She used a thinner or a flow-enhancing medium to get this dripping, which lets the base layer show through. She used this same technique on the bottom part, waiting for it to dry, and then applying thick impasto colors. She then comes back with a final layer of impasto for more definition. She uses these methods back and forth.. Her choice of background or underpainting works against the full, rich colors in the rest of the picture, which makes the forest and water really pop.

Huang, Linjun. *The Little Pool No. 3.* 2025, Sunyard Art Cultural Center, Hangzhou.

Series of Fun Journey: The Little Pool No. 3

180x180 cm, Oil on Canvas

2025

In contrast to the previous painting, where water seems to move, this piece emphasizes the pond’s tranquility. The brushstrokes on the water is calmer, composed of smooth flowing lines. This serene mood is further demonstrated by the artist’s color choices. She began with a yellow under painting, using browns (like burnt sienna) and blues for trees, and chose vibrant pinks, blues, greens, and oranges, for leaves and flowers, evoking the lushness of Summer.

The artist used a series of distinct brushstrokes that showcase her mastery: short, dabbing motions for leaves and flowers, long and confident lines for branches, and sharp-ended strokes for the plants. The composition is well balanced; the upper half is dense with layered colors, while the lower part (the pond) has a cool, overall tone. The artist successfully balances the visual weight by concentrating the details in the upper section. Here, the dynamic movement of the trees, plants, and flowers contrasts with and thereby enhances the pond’s tranquility.

Finally, her dripping technique/effect appears to be below her bold strokes, implying she applied it mid-process. Nonetheless, it remains highly effective in amplifying the watery effects of reflection.

Huang, Linjun. *The Little Pool No. 7.* 2025, Sunyard Art Cultural Center, Hangzhou.

Series of Fun Journey: The Little Pool No. 7

80x80 cm, Oil on Canvas,

2025

This painting achieves a peaceful scenery despite its use of energetic brush strokes. The sky is rendered with strong, scribbled strokes, while the leaves are made with free, shorter strokes. The water, by contrast, uses horizontal strokes to emphasize stillness. The dripping technique was used as an accent for reflections, a step the artist likely took in the early stages. Layering is evident throughout, especially in the sky and foliage. She began the trees with a thin layer of green, then slowly built up the colors to form their solid shapes, using different variations of greens for the leaves and hues of red or pink for flowers. She applied the strokes, used the dripping technique, and impasto interchangeably in this piece. For the final touch, the artist used bold colors to define the highlights. By balancing warm and cool colors, the artist achieved a perfect visual balance.

Series of Fun Journey: The Little Pool No. 9

80x80 cm, Oil on Canvas

2025

Just like the previous painting, this one depicts a calming and peaceful scene. Here, the water is still, reflecting the waterlilies in an almost mirror image. The artist’s color palette is mostly cold hues of blue and green, which beautifully contrast with the warmer colors of the waterlilies and the highlights of the trees.

One thing that interests me is that the artist use of zigzag lines to form the reflections. The lines show movement, in a zigzag direction, which could indicate a slight disturbance on the pond’s surface. Layering of colors is evident. She used a thin, light blue underpainting, and the vibrant, sharp colors on each layer indicate that she patiently waited for each one to dry before applying the next.

Her signature dripping technique is visible in the water’s reflections. Finally, she applied a thick, opaque impasto for final touches above the translucent blues and greens on the water. For the trees, the yellow she used is semi-transparent, allowing the colors underneath to remain visible. She then mixed an opaque white into the yellows in some areas to elevate the highlights.

By adding waterlilies to add visual weight to the horizon, the artist achieved stability and harmony in her composition. Which is then complemented by a lighter distribution of weight towards the bottom to create a sense of depth.

Series of Fun Journey: The Little Pool No. 14

70x 60 cm, Oil On Canvas

2025

Unlike the previous paintings, this one consists of scattered water pools covered by waterlilies. The artist used a thin layer of blue as an underpainting before applying the dripping effect, which is evident on the water’s surface. There are also drips on the waterlilies themselves, though these appear more opaque. The composition is asymmetrical, proven by the position of the lilies and the color selections, which use blue, green, and violet tones to contrast the warm yellows. It must also be noted that the horizontal brushstrokes on the water complement the vertical directions of the drips. This interplay creates a dynamic tension, imitating the natural balance between a pond’s stillness and the constant, subtle pull of gravity seen on the drippings. The purple waterlily flowers perfectly complement the warm yellow around it, and the overall mood of the painting is serene and calm, despite the different elements used to contrast each other.

Series of Habitat

As we moved through the exhibition, the gallery’s art consultant, Ms. Molly, unveiled the deeper meaning behind the series– the artist’s inspiration, color choices, and symbolism. The works collectively depict how we, as humans, navigate the complexities of modern society.

Created between 2024-2025 with a “psychedelic and colorful palette”, the series is defined by high saturation and contrast. The artist’s metaphor is both whimsical and critical: portraying humans as rabbits. In this body of work, we see these rabbits navigating a dense, high-contrast jungle– the fast-paced modern world we inhabit. This series captures our collective sense of being both lost and hyperstimulated, consistently interacting and reacting to our increasingly complex environment.

Series of Habitat- 10

100x65 cm, Oil On Canvas

2025

This painting immediately establishes a sense of disturbance, using chaotic brushstrokes onto the eerie forest. The artist creates a visually appealing yet disordered scene through layers of translucent colors and her signature dripping technique. The interplay between her layering and dripping technique is demonstrated in the background to depict chaos and order. The colors she used are vibrant blues, red, and pink, contrasted with muted pink and green. The composition is asymmetrical, balancing an area of less visual weight with an area of striking colors against a foreground with more weight and color.

What interests me is the way the rabbit is positioned. Is it sitting or hiding? It is red, a color associated with both positive and negative aspects. While red is usually linked to love and passion, it can also mean sin and danger. I asked Miss Molly about this painting, and she answered, “One thing about this artist is that she lets you interpret the artwork yourself.” With this open-ended meaning, the possibilities for what the artwork means are up to the viewer.

Perhaps the artist’s message is that humans can adapt to their surroundings, whether chaotic or still, that love and compassion will always be within us.

Series of Habitat- 12

100x65 cm, Oil On Canvas

2025

In opposition to the Series Habitat-10, this painting feels situated and calm. This sense of calm contrasts with the previous one, despite the artist’s continued use of high-contrast colors. The brushstrokes are calmer, depicting lush green plants. The colors she uses give a feeling of calmness and friendliness– the brushstrokes are free but softer. The dripping technique is still here, but it’s subtle, giving a melancholic mood that feels almost whimsical and dreamy.

The rabbit is also sitting, but not in a way that makes it look stressed or like it’s hiding. The blue color is associated with both positive and negative aspects; it could mean depression and aloofness, but it could also mean calmness and trust. In this painting, there is a sense of serenity that makes it easy to associate the rabbit with a positive aspect. The warm colors beautifully contrast the cool hues of greens and blues.

What interests me most is the blank space the artist left at the top of the painting. She used this emptiness to achieve a perfect visual balance.

Series of Habitat- 11

100x65 cm, Oil On Canvas

2025

Playful, childhood, and joy. These are the words I associate with this painting. As the artist layers translucent colors over opaque ones, it creates an illusion of dreams. The colors are full, vibrant, and playful, an effect heightened by her use of complementary colors. Interestingly, she used purple for the leaves– a color not typically seen in nature. Taking a closer look, you can see a series of layered colors: blues, purples, pinks, reds, greens, and yellows. The foreground provides a contrast to the colorful trees with its mainly earthy tones of green and touches of red and pink. The signature dripping technique adds a dreamy effect, and the violet brushstrokes contrast with the green glaze in a free direction, highlighting the painting’s general mood. The drips and splashes of color seem to be situated on top of the layers, indicating they were added in the final stages.

It is interesting that, unlike in the first paintings, this rabbit seems to be moving or running. One should also note the rabbit’s orange color, which is associated with joy, enthusiasm, and creativity. The adventurous nature of the rabbit tells a story of taking risks and finding joy in the exploration of the unknown.

Series of Habitat- 14

120x150 cm, Oil On Canvas

2025

In contrast to the painting Series of habitat-13, this piece evokes a deeply uncomfortable mood. The artist uses a series of vibrant colors, generally in shades of pinks, purples, greens, blues, and oranges. Disruptions of colors are evident, such as light blue brushstrokes slashed across the pink background. This use of unnatural color creates an eerie feeling, as if the entire scene is in a state of panic. The layering of colors is evident, as greens sit on top of purples and pinks, yellow over greens, and red and pink over green, purple, and blue in the foreground. The artist employed the dripping technique on the trees in a way that almost resembles cracks. She then proceeds to paint the leaves, plants, and foreground in these unnatural hues.

At the bottom, dashes of strong pink and red impastos are painted to indicate movement, showing that the rabbit is on the run. The rabbit’s eye is dilated, showing confusion, tension, or a stressed feeling. The rabbit is rendered with less visual weight–using less color and detail– to complement the chaotic background. The painting is so massive that when I step closer, I feel completely engulfed by the entire scenario.

Waves No. 10

60x70 cm, Oil on Canvas

2025

This painting from the series “Waves” combines layers of blue hues with both soft and aggressive brushstrokes. In the background, translucent blues depict the violent onset of coming waves, which symbolize the overwhelming pressures of modern life and the constant changes in online trends. The brushwork is free and spontaneous, mirroring this sense of relentless motion. Through this piece, the artist encourages contemporary artists to adapt like the waves themselves– to roll with changes, push boundaries to explore the unknown, and hold fast to their inner truths. Ultimately, the painting reminds us that we learn through experience, and the only true constant is change itself.

Conclusion

Huang Linjun’s “The Infinite Shore” is a powerful testament to the ever-evolving spirit of Chinese contemporary art. She demonstrates that tradition is not a limit on progress, but a guide for exploration. By harnessing the core methods and philosophy of ink painting, she creates work that embodies her cultural heritage while embracing the techniques of impressionism.

Her work stands with the principle of the New Ink Movement: that the future lies not in mere preservation of tradition, but in fearless reinvention. She serves as an example for contemporary artists to honor one’s cultural heritage without being constrained by it. For Linjun, having a mindset that encourages exploration, where staining, pouring, and dripping are not rejections of the past, but rather, astounding and vibrant extensions of it.

The exhibition, “The Infinite Shore”, is more than a title; it’s a philosophy. It represents boundless creative potential that opens up when we are willing to stand at the edge of tradition and look outwards to the vast, unknown possibilities of the future.

Exhibition Review: Huang Linjun’s “The Infinite Shore”

Huang Linjun: As a Contemporary Artist

Series of Fun Journey

Series of Habitat

Conclusion

From Late-Night Laughs to Lamarozza: An Art Journey I Didn’t See Coming.