Ink and wash painting, or shuimo, has been a traditional Chinese painting technique for centuries. Originating in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the art form has undergone an unprecedented evolution in the past 150 years, as society itself has witnessed constant political, economic and cultural changes.

Last Sunday, Wang Huangsheng, curator of the art museum at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), held a lecture at Shanghai Museum offering his take on the contemporary ink and wash art scene.

A contemporary artist practicing ink and wash painting, Wang has also authored and co-authored a number of academic books on the subject.

In Wang's opinion, the art of painting with ink and water has gone through three different stages so far: the traditional stage, which emphasized brush strokes that create a particular atmosphere; the modern stage, which started in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and which emphasized composition and often had a social or political subject; and the contemporary stage after China's reform and opening-up in 1978, which is characterized by a pursuit of visual effect and the transformation of the ink painting art from physical strokes to a received conception.

Wang illustrated the five major approaches today with works by several contemporary artists, such as Tian Liming and Qiu Zhijie.

The five approaches are: to depict modern life and scenery with modern aesthetics; to apply Western abstract expression in ink and wash painting; to meditate on the phenomena and problems of modern society; to use other art forms or materials to convey the cultural meaning of ink and wash paintings; and to probe into the interaction between traditional ink and wash painting and contemporary art.

"However, a fact we should admit is that contemporary ink and wash artworks are faced with an embarrassing situation on the world stage," Wang told the Global Times during the Q&A section on Sunday.

"Although Christie's and other auction houses have begun to pay attention to ink and wash pieces, the recognition of contemporary ink and wash art in the international art world is very poor," he added.

The special cultural meaning of the language of ink and wash art is not well understood by the Western world, as the concept of ink and wash art is not solely defined by the materials and tools used, it also refers to an aesthetic and cultural system cultivated around the artworks, said Wang, who was awarded the Order of Arts and Letters in France in 2004 and the Order of the Star of Italy in 2006.

"I myself would like to apply methods and aesthetics to ink and wash painting which can lead Western audiences to enter the world of ink and wash art," said Wang, who has tried to paint different kinds of lines in his recent paintings.

Another challenge confronting contemporary ink and wash art, according to Wang, is how to use the Chinese art language to address global concerns and to communicate with the world.