Catalogue published on the occasion of the exhibition 'My Vision of Paradise—Retrospective of Lalan's Art' organized by the Shanghai Art Museum in 2009.

Lalan (1921-1995) was born Xie Jing-lan in Guizhou Province, China and moved to France with her first husband, the painter Zao Wou-ki in 1948. Her role as Zao's muse and close acquaintance with several New Abstractionists in post-war Paris were both important factors that led Lalan to take up painting herself. Not only did she master abstract painting, she eventually integrated it with modern dance and music, fields in which she also excelled.

Though lesser known in her native country, she was considered one of the foremost Chinese abstract artists in France, where her works were exhibited at prestigious galleries and are included in the permanent collection of the French Ministry of Culture. This exhibition features representative works from various stages of her career as a painter. A chronology of the artist is provided.