Mastery through maturity

It is never too late to start something new.

In 1990, at the age of 47, Du Dakai decided to start practicing shuimo, Chinese ink-wash painting.

Then a teacher at the Central Academy of Arts and Design, which is currently the Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University, Du made a name for his wall paintings, examples of which adorn public venues like hotels and museums. He has also published dozens of illustrated books for children and adults.

"I painted oils, gouaches, watercolors, illustrations and frescos," he says. "It was too late (to turn to ink painting)."

Looking back on his late start, he feels that perhaps his forays into the world of ink couldn't have happened earlier because the discipline requires a life experience and understanding of the wider world to master.

"Chinese ink painting is best suited to those who are middle-aged or older. Its calm, sometimes remote, serene mood mostly soothes the hearts and minds of the middle-aged," he says.

Over the years, the artist's exploration of ink has continued hand-in-hand with other forms of creativity. At Still Waters Run Deep, a solo exhibition of his work since 2006 running at the Tsinghua University Art Museum until April 6, his ink paintings have captivated audiences of all ages.

The exhibition is a glimpse into how much the artist, who was born in August 1943, has invested in ink, which is juxtaposed with his work in oils, watercolors, drawings and manuscripts. It traces his transition from a maximalist style to minimalist beauty.

At the opening, he donated dozens of the paintings on show to the museum.

A display of four preparatory sketches drawn in 1992 for mural paintings commissioned by a hotel in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, helps make his transformation more vivid.

The work, Beautiful Women at the Tang Imperial Palace, measures 72 meters in length. It features four scenes of Tang Dynasty (618-907) women taking excursions, boating, walking horses and enjoying the snow.

The elegant depiction and majestic color choices speak of the rigor Du learned under noted figures in wall paintings, like Zhu Danian and Yuan Yunfu, as he pursued a master's degree at the Central Academy of Arts and Design in the late 1970s.