Deep wrinkled faces, unpretentious smiles and aging eyes will be the focus of the large-scale painting exhibition themed "Farmer" that begins Wednesday afternoon at the China Museum of Art.

Reputed to be the largest exhibition of its kind in history, people will be able to? see various works about farmers, including works from the museum's own collection and images of modern farmers, highlighting farmer portraits, lives and social changes.

One of the organizers, Xu Hong, said the exhibition aims to provide a better understanding of China through the images of Chinese farmers.

Xu added the exhibition extends its attention to the new famers of China, such as the migrant workers. Paintings by Du Xiaodong depict farmers with mobiles in hand and a little fat on their bodies. Du thinks painters used to pay attention on the hard and tough lives farmers led. However, farmers who are becoming wealthy also reveal the spirit of the times.

The exhibition ends November 26.

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(CRI.com November 2, 2006)