The painting portraying legendary Chinese movie star Ruan Lingyu by artist Ma Yanling has been exhibited at Dialogue Space Photo: Courtesy of Dialogue Space

Female artist Ma Yanling portrays the images left in people's memory from Hollywood beauty Marilyn Monroe, actress Audrey Hepburn and Chinese movie stars Hu Die and Ruan Lingyu, even diva Zhou Xuan, and is showcasing them at Dialogue Space from Saturday.

What she paints is not the beauty in one scene, but the classic beauty in our memory. All of these beauties have passed away with years, but people's memory does not. The exhibition, named Timeless Elegance, helps remind us about those classic images only left in our mind.

"We cherish those unforgettable memories that inform the big screen. Their eyes conquered everyone that looked into them, their red lips… everything on their faces can recall our thoughts. The painter changed her routine approach by coloring their lips and eyelids," said the curator Li Ying.

The 1966-born painter used to create black and white paintings in previous solo exhibitions. She attempted to express her ideas about what the past women leaders and beauties brought to the time. She got the inspiration from the raw photographs and painted them out with her own sensitive feelings. 

When: until August 28

Where: Dialogue Space, 22 International Art Plaza, No. 32 Baiziwan Road, Chaoyang District

Contact: 5876-9392

The painting portraying legendary Chinese movie star Ruan Lingyu by artist Ma Yanling has been exhibited at Dialogue Space Photo: Courtesy of Dialogue Space