Our inner child revealed

Yan Shilin's life-sized, colored copper-cast statues of young children. Photos Provided to China Daily

A group of young contemporary Chinese artists present a show that looks at fairytales. Chen Nan is informed that it's important for adults to be reminded of what it felt to be a child.

Time is money

Hand-delivered individuality

A child's fairytales are often destroyed by reality on becoming an adult, but the exhibition Boys and Girls by six young, award-winning contemporary Chinese artists emphasizes their continued importance.

Curated by Shi Ning and organized by Beijing's Line Gallery, the exhibition showcases the works of Yan Shilin, Sun Ying, Han Ning, Jin Haofan, Li Zhihong and Hao Lang.

They employ a wide variety of media, from oil to acrylic on canvas, fiberglass and colored copper-cast statues. But despite their diversity, the works focus on childhood innocence and hope.

"Do you remember your childhood dreams? Maybe you lost that dream or misplaced it years ago," writes Sun Ying in her preface for the show.

"When we look back at our lives, we realize that we have lost so much happiness. Sometimes happiness slips away without us noticing," she says.

Sun's artistic world is populated by animals such as rabbits and geese and has an Alice In Wonderland feel.