‘Future’ begins

Jizi, 74, explained with a twinkle that his 40-meter-long scroll, “The Epic of Nature,” ends with the ultimate mysteries of the universe. Alas, owing to lack of gallery space, that part remains rolled up, so viewers will have to finish the exquisite ink drawing with their imaginations.

Liu Lining, 33, talked with visitors about his wild triptych, “Paradise City,” a panorama of hundreds of figures from everyday Chinese life. Liu said the painting was inspired in part, by the fevered creations of 16th-century visionary painter Hieronymus Bosch, but there was nothing in it that wasn´t based on actual events. "I don´t need to use my imagination," he said. "Life in China is crazy enough."