Chinese artist Shu Yong, a member of the Chinese Artists Association, has been following the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games in his own unique way since the opening ceremony on February 4: painting an artwork each day.
The painting series, titled “Together for a shared future” after the theme of the Winter Games, combines Olympic imagery such as Olympic and Paralympic mascots Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon with various traditional Chinese cultural elements.
One of Shu Yong’s paintings
In one painting, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon run along the Great Wall; and in another painting, the two mascots stand on the roof of a hall in the Forbidden City.
Shu also painted a scene showing Chinese people from different ethnic groups passing along the national flag during the opening ceremony of the Games.
One of Shu Yong’s paintings Photo: Courtesy of Shu Yong
Shu said he believes that the Winter Games can be a landmark event for mankind to overcome the pandemic and that he hopes to record through his art how the Games have introduced Chinese culture to the world.
Shu actually started his project to complete a painting a day in January 2020, right after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Shu has completed nearly 760 paintings.
Before the Winter Games, Shu mainly aimed to depict Chinese people’s spirit of perseverance during the pandemic.
“I am looking forward to seeing more people join in my creations and together wait for the end of the pandemic,” Shu said, adding that he is also trying to make an “art calendar” depicting the battle against the virus.
One of Shu Yong’s paintings
One of Shu Yong’s paintings Photo: Courtesy of Shu Yong
