Artist finds power in poems and paintings

For Yan Zhen, colors and forms are a nonverbal way for poetic expression, and he has gotten comfortable switching between his identities as a poet and a painter.

"I just follow my heart and try to find the right language to express my feelings," says the artist, 84, at the reception for his exhibition held recently at a Beijing gallery.

Invited by John William Ashe, president of the United Nations General Assembly, Yan is going to stage a solo exhibition during the 69th General Assembly this September.