The work "Yelang Valley" by Guiyang artist Song Peilun won an award at the Salon Des Beaux Arts 2025. It marks the return of Guizhou's local artistic creations to the world stage.

Song Peilun, born in 1940 in Meitan county, Guizhou province, has long been dedicated to the preservation, transmission, and artistic transformation of Guizhou's ethnic and folk culture.

The Yelang Valley. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

Since 1997, he has been working on a large-scale piece of landscape art titled "Yelang Valley" in Huaxi district of Guiyang, using local stones and recycled materials. Over the past 30 years, this has evolved from a personal artistic vision into a public art piece deeply interacting with the natural environment and rooted in local culture. It has also emerged as an important cultural landmark and tourist attraction in Guizhou, drawing throngs of visitors from home and abroad.

The Salon Des Beaux Arts, established in 1864, is one of the longest-running art awards in the world, holding a special place in the history of European and global art. This year's exhibition received over 6,000 submissions worldwide, with only about 500 entries making it to the final selection, including 368 submissions from China.