Zheng Guanxu graduated from the long-standing I. Repin St. Petersburg State Academy Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in 2008, inheriting the academic traditions and especially the realistic style of Russian oil painting. Meanwhile he has combined the compositions and outlining techniques of classical Chinese painting to fuse two cultures into his creations.

Zheng's solo exhibition Nature is My Tutor, ongoing at the National Art Museum of China until Aug 22, shows 70 paintings to review the 30-plus year artistic career of Zheng, now a doctoral advisor at the Chinese National Academy of Arts.

Wu Weishan, director of National Art Museum of China, says Zheng's paintings convey a touch of historic weight and cultural depth, and the maturity with which he utilizes a vibrant palette allows him to present the brilliance of changing light.