In a separate room at the Today Art Museum in Chaoyang district, two easels are set up facing each other. One has a black TV on it and two speakers at its base, while the other is a gray oil canvas with two tied trash bags near it.

The installation artwork, Unaccustomed Time, is by Jiang Zhi, winner of the 2012 Credit Suisse Today Art Award. The annual event for young artists, now in its third year, kicked off Saturday at the gallery. Every year, the artist who wins the award is provided with a grant and a solo exhibition.

Works by the six artists who progressed to the final round are being exhibited at the museum. Wang Jing, curator of the exhibition, said the artists shortlisted for this year's award differ from each other in their ways of thinking and the media they have used to present their artworks.

The works exhibited range from traditional oil paintings on canvas to video projects and large installation works. The artworks aim to show artists' understanding of the world. But even though the works have been lauded in the art community, they might go over the heads of many visitors perplexed by their abstract meanings.

Hu Xiaoyuan, an artist born in 1977, contributed two pieces to the exhibition. Her video project, the extravagantly titled I Don't Know How Long You've Been Walking On, and I Don't Know Where You're Going, films the backs for four people in unison, who are projected side by side on a widescreen monitor.

Their backs contrast in green, white, black and red, and visitors can see their walking movements. Her other artwork, Wood, features 31 long planks of wood painted white and covered in raw silk.

Hu said the process of creating Wood was rather complicated. She obtained the timber from a carpenter and then pinned opaque raw silk over it so that the wood grain could be seen through the silk. Next, she drew the wood grains onto the silk with a brush, painted over the wood, before finally pinning back the silk with the painted grain.

The artwork is meant to express the difference between appearance and inner-nature, Hu said. The wood with painted grain on silk differs from the original pieces of wood, yet still bears some similarity.

Zhang Qing, director of the National Art Museum and also a judge for the award, said Hu perceives the world in a detailed, sensitive light, yet still manages to offer commentary on broad, social issues.

Zhang doesn't think artworks presented at the exhibition appeals to a small audience, saying it serves as a platform for communication and spreading Chinese contemporary art.

Hu said she was interested in the process of creating Wood, but acknowledges some visitors might not be interested. She also doesn't think there is a clear-cut line on what kind of art is popular or what is appealing to the minority.

She believes viewers should choose what's interesting to see using their own criteria. Hu's art is motivated by her desire to express what she feels, and not necessarily meet viewers' expectations.

"I present my thoughts my way. As an artist, presenting them in visualized forms is what I'm more interested in," she said.

When: Until November 16

Where: Today Art Museum, Building 4, 32 Baizian Lu, Chaoyang district.

Admission: 20 Yuan

Contact: 5876-0600