Wu Dongkui

It comes as no surprise that many artists emerge from families where previous generations have been immersed in art. In other cases the budding artist has the patronage of a wealthy family. That's not so for Wu Dongkui. He was born into a family that was destitute. The 52-year-old painter has emerged from obscurity to become a bright light on the contemporary Chinese art scene. On today's the List, we learn the story of Wu Dongkui, who paved a solid career path from a life full of drama.

Wu Dongkui's life, his avocation, his calling have been painting in bamboo for 30 years. Like the ancient Chinese literati, he holds bamboo in great esteem. Bamboo's amazing versatility, strength and beauty, place it in a more elevated role in Chinese culture than any other plant species. Bamboo is regarded as a token of the virtues, of resoluteness, modesty and chastity.

Born in an impoverished rural family in Heze city of Shandong Province, Wu Dongkui's spent his childhood leading a life of penury. Food and shelter never were secure. He went hungry most days. The family's ramshackle house toppled during hard rain.

His early nurturing in art came from his mother. She created folk handicrafts to give colour to the family's otherwise miserable life. A beggar added to Wu Donkui's schooling by giving the boy tips on basic drawing.

In those days, drawing became Wu Dongkui's greatest source of happiness.

Wu Dongkui

In 1978, Wu moved to Beijing to work as an editor for an art magazine. His artistic career didn't begin to take off until he quit his job to devote his life to painting in the early 80's. Wu did not emerge from his obscurity until the '90's when he experienced a slow rise to national acclaim.

Then came a setback. In 1995 We was badly injured in a traffic collision.

Wu fell into a coma. Doctors diagnosed Wu in a deeply vegetative state. The call to Art awakened him.

Wu Dongkui's ability was forged during a life of straitened circumstances and seasoned through diligent exercise.

In 2006, Wu founded his own artistic assembly hall in downtown Beijing. It showcases Wu's representative works from different periods. They cover many subjects, birds, animals, plants and natural scenery.

Wu Dongkui is also an adept at painting the peony. The blossom is a favored subject among Chinese painters. The peony embodies the natural beauty of flowers. It also symbolizes wealth, luck, prosperity and happiness.

Wu Dongkui has established a spontaneous style that treats a blank piece of paper as an opportunity for adventure. He says he is always encouraged to be daring and to embrace the unexpected.

Wu Dongkui's bitter childhood memories prompted him to devote himself to charity. In June of 2007, he donated 200 thousand yuan and several of his works to his old elementary school in Heze city. Responding to his own early experience, Wu says he will not allow poverty to deprive children their opportunity to have an education.

A survivor of many hardships, Wu Dongkui continues to devote himself to the gritty character of bamboo. As his ancestor and fellow painter Zheng Banqiao wrote in a poem about bamboo: "Avers that the green hill shall not lie fallow, sets its root in the broken crag, endures a thousand rubs and still grows strong, no matter what southeast you northwest wind."