The China Cultural Centre in Melita Street, Valletta, is currently hosting an exhibition of paintings by Helen Luan, a 30-year-old Chinese artist. Entitled Spring Forever, the exhibition is a paean to Mother Nature as reflected in gorgeous exotic flowers .

Let nature be your master and the result is delicate, sensuous and noble petals covered in dewdrops that symbolise the artist’s tears of joy when faced by the miracle in nature as reflected in flowers.

Oil painting has a history of only 100 years in China, but Chinese artists have taken it so seriously that they have become consummate at it.

Luan is no exception. She started painting under her father’s guidance at the age of three. By the age of five she started studying the masters and by 17 she had already received the diploma of the Central Academy in China. At 30 she seems to be already well known and her future seems bright. After having exhibited in China she organised five exhibitions in Auckland, New Zealand and since 2010 she has exhibited in Seoul, Korea, Paris, Berlin and now Malta.

Although she regards herself as an expressionist and a Romantic artist because of her deep passion and vibrancy in her dialectic she is an idealist and a perfectionist.

Meticulous detail plays an important part in her work. But the overall effect, the unity, the balance, the harmonic melody in her work marks her as a classicist. Her flowers emanate a certain nobility of feeling, a delicacy and gentle sensitive soul that transcends the neo-realism in her art.

Though her realism is photographic, spirituality overwhelms material substance. Her vision is purely mystical.

Her favourite painting is Spring Again, depicting a bunch of peonies, while Aroma and Eternal are magnificent lilies that impress with their vibrancy and dynamic crispness.

This travelling exhibition will be open up to December 6.