Russian artist boosts ties using brush and ink

As dusk fell, a soft, warm glow gently flooded a painting studio in the China Cultural Center in Moscow. Holding a Chinese writing brush dipped in ink, Russian artist Anna Donchenko subtly adjusted tonal gradations before letting the brush glide across the paper.

With her brushwork shifting from delicate touches to bold strokes, distant landscapes gradually took shape, breathing life into mountains and rivers on China's traditional Xuan paper, originally produced in Xuancheng, Anhui province.

"I hope I can keep painting for the rest of my life and inspire more people to take an interest in China," says Donchenko. "That would be the most meaningful to me."

For her, Chinese painting is far more than an artistic craft; it is an everlasting emotional and spiritual bond with China.

Donchenko began painting as a child and was originally trained in realism. In her middle school years, a visit to the State Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow opened the door to the realm of Chinese painting. "I was instantly captivated," she says.

In her adolescence, the scarcity of Chinese painting supplies in Russia only strengthened her resolve. "I would linger repeatedly before museum display windows just to closely study the paintings," she says.

Her first trip to China in 2007 marked a turning point in her life. The moment she set foot in China, she purchased calligraphy and painting books, brushes and mineral pigments. She filled her suitcase with these items and took them back to Russia.

In 2014, she enrolled at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, to pursue systematic academic training in Chinese painting. During her stay, she traveled extensively across the country, immersing herself in local folk customs, natural landscapes and time-honored traditions. Over time, she gained a deeper insight into the philosophical wisdom and humanistic essence embedded in traditional Chinese fine arts.

"What moves me most about Chinese painting is its focus on sentiment, its rhythmic charm and the subtle spiritual resonance between humanity and nature," she notes, adding that Chinese ink painting prioritizes imagination, blank space aesthetics and the sincere expression of the artist's inner feelings, rather than rigidly pursuing lifelike likeness.

Known to the public by her Chinese name, Dong Qingguo, Donchenko works as a researcher at the Center for Chinese Culture Studies, part of the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"Dong stands for winter, a reminder of the long, cold winters in my homeland, Russia. Qing embodies youth and vitality, while Guo carries my sincere blessings for my motherland," she explains with a warm smile.

In her view, practicing ink wash painting has also reshaped her cognition of self and the world. "The philosophy of harmony between man and nature embodied in Chinese painting is not merely an artistic technique, but also a way to perceive and embrace life," Donchenko says.

"I have been studying Chinese painting for 20 years and teaching it for 12 years," she says. "The artistic conception conveyed by Chinese painting strikes a chord with people from all cultural backgrounds."

In her artistic creations, she depicts Russia's white stone castles, wooden cottages and onion-shaped church domes through fluid Chinese ink painting techniques, perfectly integrating Eastern aesthetic charm with distinctive Russian pastoral scenery.

Over the years, she has also observed a growing enthusiasm among Russians for Chinese ink painting.

The China Cultural Center hosts Chinese painting classes three evenings a week. In class, students learn to sketch plum blossoms, paint natural landscapes, and create paintings of the persimmon tree that symbolize good fortune.

Under Donchenko's patient guidance, Anastasia Smirnova, one of her students, captured two hedgehogs carrying apples on their backs with just a few vivid brushstrokes. "Chinese painting can convey emotions in such an intuitive way," Smirnova says. "Learning this art has offered me a brandnew perspective on the world."

Beyond classroom teaching, Donchenko has spared no effort to popularize Chinese painting across Russia by holding exhibitions in museums, public libraries and local communities. Over the past two decades, she has participated in or curated more than 30 art exhibitions in China and Russia.

In April, she hosted a Chinese painting exhibition paired with on-site demonstrations at Moscow No 69 Library, drawing hundreds of visitors on its opening day.

Yulia Zharkova, the organization's director, said these paintings bring audiences inner peace and tranquil contemplation.

"Standing in front of these artworks, people feel their worldly worries drift away," she says. "This is the unique artistic charm and profound artistic conception of Chinese painting. We are deeply honored that Donchenko chose our library to hold this exhibition, which has greatly enlivened our cultural venue."

Against the backdrop of in-depth people-to-people cultural exchanges during the China-Russia Years of Education, Donchenko hopes more people will discover the sheer joy hidden in traditional Chinese arts.

"Art teaching is far more than imparting professional skills," Donchenko says. "It is about passing down the passion you truly cherish. I wish more people could embrace joy and perceive beauty through learning Chinese painting, just as I once did."