The National Art Museum of China is honoring young talents on the rise. An exhibition opened over the past weekend recognizes those who left their mark on the country's creative scene in 2018.

More than 100 works of art created by 77 young Chinese talents are on display. Most of them were awarded national level prizes in the past year.

The exhibition features a wide variety of art categories including ink painting, oil painting, watercolor, print making and sculpture. 

It's an annual event hosted by the National Art Museum of China. The museum's director Wu Weishan said the exhibition offers a chance for the country's emerging artists to share their talent and aims to breathe fresh air into the world of art. 

"The National Art Museum of China has always paid great attention to discovering and cultivating young artists. We take it as our major responsibility," said Wu.

"The artists being shown at this exhibition were selected not for their background or records, but merely for the presentation of their work. We have been encouraging them to base their creations on real life. I think they're doing well this year. Many of the exhibitors here have done a good job of combining national artistic elements with the international vogue. Only in this way, will they be able to achieve their own marks and make something that's really pioneering." 

The event has been funded by the China Arts Foundation for two years running. This year's exhibition runs through January 16.

(Cover: Art works created by young Chinese talents on display at the National Art Museum of China. /courtesy of the National Art Museum of China)