Contemporary photos of aspirational Chinese artists are on show at the China Cultural Center in Brussels. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Liu, whose naturalistic work displayed includes a scene involving the Sesame Street children's television character Big Bird, singles out Han Lei's buxom Girl in Hair Salon as a standout piece, saying: "It is very different from the typical ideal of thin means beautiful."

Another exhibition highlight is Song Chao's striking, evocative photo of coalminers.

Liu says: "A former miner, Song is close to the people so they let him photograph. They did not want to pose for me, saying 'We're dirty.'"

Many of the photos tell stories reflecting Chinese society.

"The problem of education is shown in Miss Wan and Follow Me (an arresting picture where students slump over their books contrast with the upbeat 'Study Well, Progress Every Day' slogan on the walls). Even photographer Wang Quingsong is there with a hospital drip," Liu notes.