Visitors observe Yan Jingliang’s painting at the “Silk Road Luminous Convergence” exhibition at the Guan Shanyue Art Museum. Photos by Cao Zhen

There is a light in Yan Jingliang’s paintings that comes from no single source. It emerges from the interplay of mineral pigments and metal foil — materials that catch the eye while carrying the weight of time.

That radiance is now on full display at the Guan Shanyue Art Museum in “Silk Road Luminous Convergence,” a solo exhibition tracing the Guangzhou-based artist’s journey from the ancient cultural relics of northwestern China to the maritime landscapes of southern China.

Lai Zhiqiang, one of the exhibition’s curators, said that the word “luminous” in the exhibition title pays tribute to the materials themselves: pigments ground from minerals that naturally capture and refract light. Yan enhances this inherent quality through his use of color, creating surfaces that glow with warm, radiant brilliance.

A visitor admires Yan Jingliang’s painting.

Part of a painting created by Yan Jingliang in 2008.

Yan’s artistic roots lie in the mural traditions of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves. While studying mural painting at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, he developed a lasting fascination with the cultural and artistic imagery of China’s Northwest — a theme that has remained central to his practice.

Over the past two decades, Yan has immersed himself in mineral-pigment painting. Unlike artists who focus solely on restoring ancient murals, he is drawn to the murals’ contemporary presence — their weathered surfaces and the patina of time. This sensitivity, combined with the granular quality of mineral pigments, gives his works a distinctive richness: vivid yet mellow, free yet disciplined in their use of color.

A painting created by Yan Jingliang in 2021.

A painting created by Yan Jingliang in 2015.

The exhibition is divided into three sections. “Tracing the Roots” showcases Yan’s deep engagement with traditional mural heritage. It features interpretations of Dunhuang murals, evocative landscapes of Northwest China, and contemporary figurative works, all brought to life through the luminous combination of mineral pigments and metal foil.

“Sails Along the Silk Road” marks the artist’s transition from imagery rooted in the inland Silk Road to works inspired by the Maritime Silk Road. He also broadens his material vocabulary, incorporating ceramic fragments and linen fibers. In these works, the history of ocean trade is transformed into contemporary visual narratives that combine ancient seafaring routes with the vitality of today’s coastal cities.

A painting created by Yan Jingliang in 2024.

A painting created by Yan Jingliang in 2022.

In “Boundless New Expressions,” Yan continues to explore mixed media techniques, using ink, mineral pigments, metal foil, colored sand, and silk to develop a more expansive artistic language. Moving beyond figuration toward abstraction, he develops a contemporary artistic vocabulary rooted in tradition while embracing bold innovation.

Curator Lai notes that Yan’s openness to material experimentation and contemporary expression has enabled him to continually expand the possibilities of his medium and push the boundaries of his artistic practice.

Dates: Through Sept. 17 

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Tue.-Thu., Sun.), 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (Fri.-Sat.), closed Mondays

Tickets: Free

Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Futian District 深圳关山月美术馆

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit F