Zhang Gongque's (1924-2020) alma mater in Hangzhou, the National College of Art (today's China Academy of Art) was a gathering place for leading figures of modernism in early 20th-century China under whose guidance students like Zhang learned how to create with independence and to express with sincerity.

Paint Traces, a retrospective of Zhang's career, now on in Beijing traces the evolution of his work from the late 1940s, when he was first introduced to the forms and colors of modern art.

His output over the following decades shows his endeavors to integrate abstract tendencies with the minimalist style, and his carefree way of layering strokes in classical Chinese painting.

The exhibition is on at the Ici Labas gallery until Aug 11.