Woodblock painting art gallery opens in Beilun

A woodblock painting art gallery named after Yu Qihui, a renowned Chinese print artist, was recently inaugurated in Beilun district, Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province.

The gallery features more than 200 works that depict the changes of Beilun district, Yu's hometown.

Born in 1934, Yu Qihui taught at the East China Branch of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, which is now known as the China Academy of Fine Arts, after graduating from the school in 1960.

His works have won numerous national and provincial art awards, and have been collected by the National Art Museum of China, the British Museum, the European Woodblock Print Foundation, the Ashmolean Museum of Oxford University and the Kanagawa Museum.

Since 1994, Yu has lectured in cities including Paris, Campbell, London and Los Angeles, and made outstanding contributions to the promotion of Chinese culture.

"The hometown is not only my 'root', but also the source of inspiration for my wood carvings," said the 88-year-old while attending the art gallery's inauguration ceremony.

Yu has donated more than 400 woodblock paintings to Beilun to date. 

The newly gallery is open to the public free of charge every day except Mondays.