In Beijing’s 798 Art District, Beyond Art Space gallery is mounting a group show from July 17 to August 29, displaying recent works by five Chinese artists. Titled “Whisper of the Wind,” the exhibition features a selection of nature-themed works by He Sen, Cao Jingping, Hou Yong, Li Wei, and Peng Wei.

Though each artist executes his or her work in a distinct way, each also draws inspiration from traditional Chinese ink and water painting, a process that has evolved over time due to generations of experimentation and western influence. Today, meanwhile, contemporary ink and water techniques are increasingly used for abstract, urban landscape paintings.

Reworking the traditional technique, the five artists in this show examine issues of human existence against a backdrop of rapid urbanization. He Sen’s strokes in oil evoke those of western old masters. Cao Jingping’s cityscape exudes a nostalgia for the past. The ink drops in Li Wei’s paintings aptly capture the dynamic urban scenery. Hou Yong's interpretation of water is at once realistic and abstract, while Peng Wei, the only female artist in the show, creates tension between her highly contemporary visual language and the traditional Chinese medium of water and ink.