"In Yan'an, women and children had healthy natural blushes on their faces. At that moment, I developed a faith in the revolution, and I saw hope and brightness for the country."

Yang revisited the theme of Yan'an in his work through the decades, in which he depicted the area's landscape and industrious people doing farm work.

One such work on show, Light in Cave Dwellings, presents a serene atmosphere at night: a sky full of stars, a crescent moon, a plateau and a cave house lit by lamps.

Zhang Jun, a former student of Yang and the ongoing exhibition's academic director, says Yang's works are embedded with sincerity, and those depicting his time in Yan'an are exuberant with nostalgic feelings and a simple, straightforward passion for art.