Artist celebrates Belt and Road, one brick at a time

The subjects vary, depending on his immediate experiences. He centered on the pandemic after the COVID-19 outbreak. From abstract style to landscape paintings, he created a variety of works paying tribute to the heroes fighting the pandemic. During the Beijing Winter Olympics last year, he blended imagery such as the Olympic and Paralympic mascots Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon with various traditional Chinese cultural elements.

This year, he drew a series of rabbits to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Shu takes brushes and ink with him everywhere and always draws late at night. He once painted at an ink store and spent the night there when he lost his supplies.

Many of his friends don't understand why he has to spend so much time on these daily paintings since his early works have already ensured his fame.

"I believe that drops of water can outlast stone. The act of creating is self-sublimation for me, just like the building up of national cultural symbols. It needs the continuous efforts of generations," says Shu.