Nine young artists from Chongqing bid farewell to the aesthetic of previous generations and search for what best represents the changing world they live in, writes Fei Lai.A brave heart and a daring mind are essential if artists are to distinguish themselves these days. In fact, even to become an artist these days requires courage and boldness. They must be willing to take "The Road Not Taken."A group show by nine new-generation artists from Chongqing demonstrates their vision and valor. "The Road Not Taken" exhibition at Hwa's Gallery runs through December 31."These artists bid farewell to the aesthetic values of previous generations and instead search for what they believe best represents the world they live in," says Ning Jia, one of the two exhibition planners. "Through their works, we are able to see some of the most important issues concerning modern China."They address rampant commercialism, the environment, the lost individual and other concerns.As each of them is quite different, they can't be grouped into a certain genre. Actually, it is their individualism that makes them stand out among their peers."Each has their own ways to present what they see in the world and what they believe the future holds," says Ning. "Here we can gather some of the top young talents in contemporary art and give them a stage to fully express themselves."Painters Guo Rui, Liao Man and He Juan depict the mental state of modern Chinese young people.Ingeniously using a gray flat layer covering the canvas, Guo creates perspective and depth of field. One can find bright streets under cloudy skies, wavering shadows of buildings and a lonely child in a corner overshadowed by construction.Unlike many young artists who bring cartoon dimensions into their creations, Liao takes a modern photography-based approach. She says some characters in her paintings are based on pictures from the Internet, magazines and those she took by herself."The approach not only enables me to modernize the traditional way of painting that I am very familiar with, but also provides me with big opportunities to express my deep feelings about real life," she says.Attractive and novel, He's paintings always feature animals. She humanizes them through exaggeration and caricature, giving them varied personalities.Three other artists, Li Zan, Luo Dan and Wu Wei, focus on the changes in society and how these changes, in turn, affect our lives.Among them, perhaps Li is most unfettered by the traditional art education system. Art, in his eyes, represents truly diversified self-expression and manifests greater inclusiveness and cultural flexibility. His stencil graffiti art features public visual images, consumer brands, popular symbols and articles of daily use.The exhibition also includes the works of Ma Wenting and Peng Jianzhong, whose works convey darkness and a sense of repression.Sculptor Liu Jia's works reverse the roles of human beings and animals.