Visitors admire the paintings at By Art Matters in Hangzhou. [Photo/Tide News]

An exhibition featuring paintings inspired by the lives of elderly residents from Chaishan Island in Zhoushan is underway until June 11 at By Art Matters (Tianmuli) Art Museum in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, bringing the stories of a remote island community to a wider audience.

Titled Gallery of X Seniors: A Life Archive of an Era, the exhibition's works focus on ordinary island residents, including an 80-year-old man who returned to painting later in life, a senior who finally received a long-awaited graduation certificate, and a woman who worked hard to pay for a heart operation.

Visionary Shipbuilders by Hu Chunqiu. [Photo/Tide News]

Dong Xiaoya, a representative of the project, said the paintings are created from a youth perspective, transforming the life experiences of island residents into visual stories that highlight perseverance, passion, and resilience. Originally displayed in the streets and homes of Chaishan Island, the exhibition has now been relocated to Hangzhou to introduce urban audiences to the island's culture and people.

The exhibition is accompanied by cultural forums, creative activities, and community engagement programs designed to further promote Zhoushan's island culture.