"More importantly, you don't just see craft from those with household names. You see what the younger, aspiring group are doing. They're grounded and hard-working, full of hope.

"The longing for a bright future is evident in each piece, even if it's a still or landscape, you see the upwardlooking human spirits behind it, that's the zeitgeist." He has painted a "fascinating view of the beautiful sky and ground".

"All in all, the exhibition shows that the best time for arts has arrived," he says.

The 10th China Art Festival has also set up other exhibitions including the European Classics Exhibition with the Chinese debut of Da Vinci's Self-portrait and shows on Shandong folklores, the province's history and landscapes.