Chinese Australian artist Fangmin Wu to feature in Hurstville Museum and Gallery exhibition

Mr Wu's creations have been selected in some of the world's most prestigious art prizes including: Beijing Art Exhibition, Miradas International Art Prize in Spain and Blake Art Prize and Georges River Art Prize in Australia.

His life and inspirations evolve around the Georges River and its natural surroundings, and his efforts saw him create Reflection - an impressionist exhibition that captures the dance between lights and shadows.

Mr Wu was born in Zhejiang province, on the east coast of China, where he was educated until he was 18, then allocated to be a labourer in a local factory during the Cultural Revolution.

"During school, I was lucky to have an art school teacher who introduced me to Impressionism and Modernism. From age of 15 I developed a profound interest in fine art. I would take every possible opportunity to read art books; it was when I came across artistic expressions in Union of Soviet Socialist Republics," Mr Wu said.

Mr Wu began exploring his own creative journey and joined Artists Association. His confidence grew and he was published in fine art magazines, and came second in the Zhejiang Provincial Emerging Young Artist Awards.

He came to Australia as an art student in the early 1990s - one of some 40,000 international students who arrived from China - and studied fine art at the University of Sydney.

"It wasn't my initial intention to settle here, but somehow the familiar cultural vibe in Hurstville, the beauty of Georges River drew me to stay rooted to the south part of Sydney," he said.

Like many international students, Mr Wu's life back then was all about survival. There were many barriers to overcome and he worked in various jobs, including going back to a factory. The next big task was to navigate the language barrier.

"Since then, I have expanded my resume in many different industries, from graphic design, to art editor in newspapers and advertising and creative agencies," Mr Wu said.

"Despite all these distractions, I never once gave up on my beloved paint brushes."

To keep his passion going, he started volunteering in local cultural events such as the Lunar New Year celebrations, showcasing Chinese calligraphy painting techniques.

He was selected twice in the Blake Art Prize (2011 and 2013), being the first ever Chinese finalist and winner of the Highly Recommended Prize in the Miradas International Art Prize Spain 2016 and finalist in Georges River Art Prize 2019.

Mr Wu's exhibition, Reflection, was inspired by nature, especially during the "magical hour".

"The lights are so detailed, sometimes they harmonise each other, sometimes also reflect each other," he said.

"Through lights and shadows, I want to create a different world, a different atmosphere that reflects the relations between human and nature, mountains and waters, rivers and banks and all souls of lives.

"I also want to leave enough space to my audiences' interpretation and perspective of the world I creative in my paintings."

Residents can view Reflection in the Hurstville Museum and Gallery's new Dragon's Lair exhibition, from Saturday, April 17 until Sunday, May 9.

The exhibition will be opened by fellow Chinese Australian artist Guan Wei on Sunday, April 18 from 2pm until 5pm.