‘No matter how late, he gets up and draws’: boy, 12, in China trends online with first exhibition of huge sci-fi artwork
- The 12-year-old is drawn to sci-fi subjects and themes but has recently expanded his style to traditional Chinese art as well
- Yile’s mother said he had fallen in love with drawing when he was a toddler and had been influenced by his grandma who is also an artist
A 12-year-old boy has trended on mainland Chinese social media after holding his first art exhibition of more than 50 sci-fi-inspired artwork, btime.com reported.
A viral video on mainland social media shows the boy, known as Yile, wearing glasses and sitting on the floor and drawing at his exhibition in Guangzhou in southern China recently.
Yile’s mother said he had fallen in love with drawing when he was a toddler and had been influenced by his grandma who is also an artist.
“No matter how late it was, he would get up and start drawing,” his mother said.
She has also seen many changes in his art style. When he was younger, he was drawn to graffiti art, but now is expanding into calligraphy and traditional-style Chinese paintings.
In the video, Yile is also seen working on a giant traditional-style Chinese painting. The height is far beyond what he can reach, so he stands on a chair and continues drawing a mountainous landscape.
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“There are artworks sliced into two or more pieces; the sizes are big,” his mother said.
According to Yile’s mother, he doesn’t spend much time having fun with his friends on weekends, but prefers to stay with his artistic passion; every piece of art can take him months to finish. So far Yile has completed more than 50 large pieces.
Among the exhibited items,, pictures of vehicles are common. His mother said Yile likes drawing automobiles and wants to become a car designer one day.
Many users on mainland Chinese social media were inspired by Yile’s passion and art.
One said: “Wow, the artwork looks amazing.”
Another said: “Is his grandma an art teacher or professor? I think he grew up in an open-minded family.”
There is a growing trend of parents in China allowing children to freely explore and develop their passion and talent in a society known for parents often forcing children to follow career paths based on prosperity and stability.
At the beginning of this month, a one-and-a-half-year-old toddler in eastern China was inspired to spend her days imitating the demanding moves taught at her mother’s dance studio.
