Strokes of genius

Titled Rhythmic and Vivid Ink, the exhibition runs until Monday and has, so far, received rave reviews, not just because it has directed the spotlight specifically to Liu's accomplishments in calligraphy, an area not widely known to the public compared to his paintings, which are marked by their majestic mood and highly saturated colors. The calligraphy on show reveals Liu's true temperament, as well as his views on life, art and the world.

The exhibition brings together 150 pieces from several public organizations, including the Nanjing University of the Arts, which Liu headed for years, the Liu Haisu Art Museum in Shanghai, where he lived the last years of his life, and the Liu Haisu Art Museum in Changzhou, the city in Jiangsu province where the artist was brought up.

At the opening, one of his daughters, Liu Chan, donated to the NAMOC some 20 of her father's works of calligraphy from different stages of his career.

"In between these characters and lines, one can see the literary accumulations, morality, experiences and personality of my father," Liu Chan says.

"He was a man who respected our tradition and who wanted to protect it by breaking new ground," she adds. "He felt an infinite power while creating that came from Chinese civilization and spirit."

She says her father believed that the true value of art was in its being shared and appreciated by as many people as possible. In a grand gesture demonstrating this philosophy, he donated his work and collections to spread and preserve Chinese culture.