Angela Occhipinti displays her paintings and lithography works in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The tribute to Picasso portrays a man and a bull. Picasso revisited the bull motif in his lithographs as an "incarnation" of himself.

"Many contemporary artists don't dare to venture deeply once they are seen to have established a style of work," she says.

"What I've learned from Picasso is that he never stopped exploring different motifs and mediums, even after he achieved fame."

Occhipinti believes art is far beyond just exploring with techniques.

"Skill learning is after all for one to create freely and with imagination."

Wang Ji, one of her friends, says, "One can read Angela's thoughts of the universe in either her powerful installations, imaginative paintings or elaborate lithographs.

"Inside the body of this woman in her 80s, there is a little girl who always embraces the beautiful sides of the world."

If you go

Through Aug 8. Riverside Art Gallery, Hongyan Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-5309-2066, 010-8736-7099.