Chen went to the United States in 1980 to study fine art in New York, soon winning recognition in the New York art scene. A few years later, when Armand Hammer, an American entrepreneur and owner of the New York-based Hammer Gallery, visited China in 1985, he presented a painting by Chen as gift to Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. The painting of two bridges in Zhouzhuang soon became known all over China, and boosted the tourism industry of the town.

The second section of the exhibition features paintings depicting water-town sceneries and portraits of Chinese women in elaborate costumes, as well as those from his time in the US, when he did many beautiful portraits with musical instruments.