An exhibition of contemporary Chinese art on world tour started its only U.S. stop at Drexel University, Philadelphia, on Wednesday.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture of China, the show "INK not INK" is the first large-scale exhibition of contemporary Chinese art ever presented in the Greater Philadelphia region.

More than 80 paintings, prints, sculptures, and videos by 38 Chinese artists, including renowned figures such as Gu Wenda, Wei Qingji, and Lin Tianmiao, are presented.

The theme of the exhibition is the critical role that the ancient tradition of ink painting plays in the cultural memory and imagination of many contemporary Chinese artists responding to China's explosive economic growth and rapid globalization.

As outside cultural influences become increasingly potent inside China, artists are boldly experimenting with new mediums and technologies on an imposing scale, creating unprecedented admixtures of Western and Eastern imagery.