LITERAL Realism. Expressive Lyricism. Symbolic Illusionism. Abstractionism and Expressionism. Cultural Pop Art. Neo-Realism.
Familiarise yourself with the vocabulary, because the 200 exhibits featured in the Second Annual Exhibition of Chinese Oil Painting on display at the Sky Lobby, Central Plaza, Wan Chai, until November 28 fall into one or another of those categories - at least according to mainland critic Yin Shuang-xi.
Standards have improved since the first exhibition in 1991 and there are strong indications that oil painting in China has entered an era of relative self-confidence and maturity, according to Yin.
One thing has not changed. Selection is still firmly in the hands of the Oil Painting Committee whose core members are among the elder generation of painters or academy professors in China.
THIRTEEN years ago, at an exhibition at the City Hall, Hong Kong potter Mak Yee-fun steered Chang Tsong-zung towards the paintings of her great favourite, Luis Chan.
So began the bond between the potter, the painter and the connoisseur. Now Chang is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his Hanart T. Z. Gallery (Old Bank of China Building) with a series of special shows, including one devoted to Mak and Chan.