British painter Izi Duffy's new exhibition opens in Beijing

British painter Izi Duffy's latest solo exhibition, "Nine by Nine: Lines of Beijing," opened Sept. 20 at Zhengyang Bookstore in Qianmen, a historic district in central Beijing.

British painter Izi Duffy poses in front of his ink drawings on display at Zhengyang Bookstore in Qianmen, Beijing. [Photo by Zhang Junmian/China.org.cn]

The exhibition features nearly 30 black-and-white ink drawings of the city's ancient sites, including Zhengyang Gate, the Palace Museum (also known as the Forbidden City), the hutongs and Liulichang Cultural Street.

Duffy described the exhibition as "an ode to old Beijing." His works capture the simple, unadorned beauty of the capital's historic sites in an archaistic style marked by fine pen-and-pencil detail.

"My interest in Chinese art and Chinese antiques is something that's very important to me and who I am, and that has formed a big role in my art," the artist said.

"I think these places are beautiful enough, and they can speak for themselves," Duffy said of his approach. "Because I've lived in Beijing for a long time, I would like to convey some of those quiet moments to other people."

A longtime student of Chinese history and culture, Duffy has spent much of the past nine years traveling across China to visit ancient sites and capture their beauty in his drawings.

"I'm passionate about conservation and preservation," said Duffy, who described himself as an artist and antiquary. "So because I'm interested in these places, that's what I got."

Cui Yong, founder and owner of Zhengyang Bookstore, which specializes in vintage books and historical documents about Beijing, said the store hosts exhibitions and other events to foster a public cultural space.

"I think we are similar in that we are working to preserve the memories of old Beijing, though through different ways," Cui said.

The exhibition runs through Oct. 18.