New York-based artist Elizabeth Peyton produces deep resonance in the hearts and minds of her audience with paintings where the strokes, the colors and the composition deliver poetry and sensibility.

Peyton's first solo exhibition in China, Elizabeth Peyton: Practice, now on at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art through Nov 29, is dedicated to the efforts of this preeminent contemporary artist to revive figurative paintings and especially, to expand the frontiers of portraiture.

On show are drawings, paintings and prints reflecting Peyton's portfolio of portraits over three decades, with a focus on her work over the past 10 years.

Peyton portrays artists, friends, historic figures and celebrities, whom she depicts based on real-life observations, memories, references to literature and also her imagination.

Peyton's works, comprising energetic brushwork, a distinctive palette and a simplified composition, convey her enthusiasm and concerns for her subjects, as well as a straightforward and honest attitude, which guides the audience into the mentality and the environment of the individuals she depicts.