In painting, imitation is one way to learn

Copying the work of previous artists has long been an important way for painters to improve their technique. It is during this process that they develop new methods, and establish their own style.

The Eighth Hangzhou Calligraphy Painting Biennale, currently ongoing at the Zhejiang Culture Hall and Zhejiang Exhibition Hall in Zhejiang province until March 18, is an illustration of the linmo ("copying and learning") tradition in Chinese ink painting. It's a display of the work of contemporary artists, as well as of the copies made by teachers and students at major art academies around the country.

The juxtaposition seeks to examine of the role of linmo in the practice and teaching of painting. While it demonstrates to painters the accumulation of experience by generations of artists, it also inspires people to invent, to change, and to revisit nature to gain new experience.