[Photo provided to China Daily]

That's why Kiefer's art is so influential in China and even across the world, says Shao.

In 1992, Kiefer traveled for three months in China to explore the Silk Road, including Xi'an in Shaanxi province and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

He later produced works inspired by his visit to China.

Since 2000, Kiefer has visited China many times, says Li Jiayi, a representative of the Bell Art Center that helped organize the show.

The works on display at the Kiefer show are from the MAP collection and Ludwig Museum Koblenz in Germany.

Li says the organizers worked on the show for two years and invested heavily in it.