At the exhibition, Ma's 1984 painting, Time of Harvest, exemplifies an effort to make his landscape a wordless poem or an inaudible song. The painting portrays a busy lake in southern China where boats loaded with grains gather and the water shimmers as the sun rises. Ma says the warm tone emphasizes the joy of harvest. The vigorous scene is also featured on the exhibition poster.
Fan says that by rendering simple poetry to his subjects, Ma conveys Chinese aesthetics that hail the unity of universe and people. "With great sincerity, he brings the viewer closer to nature. The visionary outlook of his paintings shows us the truth of life."
