The bold and innovative designs of young artists were celebrated at a national exhibition in Beijing. The "2008 Exhibition of Plastic Arts - Works of Rising Artists", which opened at the National Museum of Fine Arts on Monday, gave prominence to the plastic creations of up and coming artists.

The 46 works on show were all winning pieces in a national competition of plastic arts by emerging artists across the country. Their works were selected from more than 26 hundred submissions since the competition was launched in August.

Many of the artists were able to see their works exhibited at the National Museum of Fine Arts, China's most prestigious art venue, for the first time.

Li Yilan, participating artist, said, "Many young artists are now leaders in the realm of fine arts and they're contributing remarkable pieces to the achievements of Chinese art. We definitely need such exposure to project our artistic opinion."

The majority of the participants were students at different art schools. They've used various media, such as oil painting, traditional Chinese ink and brush painting, sculpture and printmaking to interpret these plastic works of art.

Their works reflect the lives and sentiments of young people in modern society.

Xue Kun, participating artist, said, "My work is called "Sigh". It reflects the perplexed and vulnerable feelings between young lovers and their uncertain prospects for the future. I think oil paintings in a realistic style make the images stand out. That's how plastic arts are best interpreted."

The competition and the exhibition were organized by the China Literature and Art Foundation. It aims to encourage young artists to push the limits of artistic experimentation. The winning pieces were chosen by an authoritative panel of judges, including established artists and art critics.

The exhibition will run at the National Museum of Fine Arts in downtown Beijing until next Tuesday.