In The Grand Canyon, the artist’s newfound vitality is demonstrated through a myriad of complex lines. From thin meandering lines, to lines applied with a broad brush, to lines of varying tone and length, the artist skillfully captures the beauty of the vast American landscape. Effortlessly moving between two styles, Wu embraces both the free-flowing line of early-Qing artist Gong Xian and the rapid brushstrokes of Post-Impressionist Henri Matisse. The multiplying and tangling of different brush lines epitomises Wu’s distress between two contradictory styles, which ultimately drove his pursuit of a completely new artistic language. Another important stylistic feature of Wu’s work is the spots of diffusing ink, which allows the line to pause and create moments of quiet contemplation. Some dots appear randomly, as if they were casually splattered across the paper, others are deliberate, with unmuddied bright colours marking the rugged terrain. Thus, The Grand Canyon is a perfect illustration of Wu’s skill in exceeding the traditional textures of ink strokes and demonstrating a blend of unique lines, dots, and brushwork. Creating an abstract, yet equally powerful portrait of the Grand Canyon, Wu’s rendering of the majestic landscape takes on a different perspective, especially when compared to Thomas Moran’s more hyper-realistic portrayal.