Artist Lei Lei’s A Jar’s Nirvana – Rebirth 1, features a withered, porcelain-like jar juxtaposed with an intact one, which are both made from glutinous paper and honey. [Photo by Yang Xiaoyu/chinadaily.com.cn]

The exhibition's title, A Tribute to Tradition, brought much criticism as well.

"Using such a title seems a bit too broad, and can even hinder viewers from appreciating showpieces of noteworthy significance," commented art critic Wu Hong. "Many artists choose the material simply because it can best serve their artistic purposes and may have not thought about offering homage to tradition."

Aside from paying tribute to paper, a millennia-old material born in China, the exhibition aims to highlight the profound influence of Chinese cultural traditions such as traditional paper art forms, ink landscape painting, and Taoism on contemporary Chinese artists, explained Li Hongbo, the curator of the exhibition.