Herding Cattle, Beijing, 2013.

Making art from ordinary objects

Wang Xiaohui, a well-known photographer in Shanghai, said she finds Zhu's bark series amazing.

"I have not seen any other works of the same kind. It is so unique," Wang said.

"I think he can further explore more bravely and come out with more works to show us the small details of great nature." Recently, Zhu's bark series has become popular in such cities as Beijing, Nanjing and Shenzhen.

Zhu picked up photography when he graduated from high school some 30 years ago. He said he has always been willing to learn and explore new territory.

He once worked as the director of the local legal bureau and as supervisor of economic reform in Nantong. He was also in charge of urban construction, and during his tenure, he is mainly responsible for environment protection.

His interest in arts has helped him a lot in his urban construction work.

"We cooperate with experts in environmental art and urban sculpture to solve some problems together," Zhu said.

"Such partnerships attract some Nantong artists to take part in building the city into a better place to live."

Currently in charge of culture and education in Nantong, Zhu displays some of his artwork at exhibitions to promote local activities and create public awareness.

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