Mention abstract art, and what usually comes to mind is some obscure work.

The world of Chinese artist Li Geng, however, is rife with imagination and power, which he attains by using an art form that goes back thousands of years ink.

Li's on-going solo exhibition provides visitors a rare opportunity to see the dance of ink on paper in his abstract works.

Sponsored by the Li Keran Art Foundation, the exhibition will run till Tuesday (closed on Monday) at the Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Wangfujing's Shuaifuyuan Hutong.

On display are 70 of Li's ink paintings divided into three categories, namely, "The Study of Ink," "The Series of Mahler's Symphony" and "Materials and Expression."

These works show his enduring love for traditional art and provide a glimpse into his continuous explorations of the language of ink over the past decades.

"Asia today is making great efforts to enter the age of modernization. It is important, in this process, to think abstractly and to appreciate abstraction A wonderful world will unfold before our eyes, when we open our hearts to feel and understand abstract art," said Li, who not only enjoys thinking abstractly but also uses it to paint a universe of black and white.

"Modern society continues to need ink, but with a different understanding of it," Li said.

His brush strokes traverse the past and future, as also touch on other forms of art. The ink flows of Li's strokes reveal his profound research into Japanese painting, Western fresco and early Renaissance art.

There are also several exhibits that show his interest in the paintings of the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming (1368-1644 ) dynasties.

Born into a family of art in 1950, Li developed his enthusiasm for traditional Chinese literature, sketching and horse riding in his teens. He practised strict discipline in painting ink-and-water under his father, Li Keran, the master of Chinese fine arts.

He was introduced to Japanese art and literature circles by the writer Yasushi Inoue in the 1980s, and was gradually acknowledged by the local media, critics and college students. He is now professor at the Kyoto University of Art and Design.

Wang Luxiang, professor of Tsinghua University, once commented:

"Li is a scholastic artist. He carries in his blood his father's interest in the mysterious cosmos and a lofty spirit. His ink paintings take his father's early achievements in ink and the techniques of abstract art in later years to greater elegance."

(China Daily December 23, 2006)