Artist Tang Zhengwei’s Carbon Folding No 1 is on show at the Today Art Museum in Beijing on July 25, 2020. [Photo by Yang Xiaoyu/chinadaily.com.cn]

''The value of contemporary art comes down to what questions the work raises and what concepts it conveys," said Yin Shuangxi, an art critic and professor with the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). ''Quite a number of showpieces are awe-inspiring in terms of showing the artists' patience, devotion, and exquisite craftsmanship in working with paper. But they are far from enough when it comes to making a piece of art.''

''It is true that Chinese scholars and artists have long had a special affinity with paper. Even though they should pay close attention to the choice of materials in art creations, those materials should not be overly emphasized or even worshipped,'' Yin pointed out.

"Some exhibits are corny and only focus on paper processing techniques. They fail to address current issues," said CAFA Art Museum deputy director Wang Chunchen, echoing Yin's comments.