Brotherhood, Manhood is a showcase of artworks by a group Chinese artists born in the 1960s. [Photo provided to China Daily]

When he doesn't work in his studio, Tong Zhengang, 56, prefers hanging out and having a drink with his dozen buddies: All are Beijing-based artists like him, and most were born in the 1960s.

They have gone through the twists and turns of Chinese contemporary art since the avant-garde art movement known as '85 New Wave.

They have a group chat room on WeChat, called "ge men'r (brothers), ye men'r (men)".

"We come from different places. We differ a lot in personality. We work with different art mediums and our views on the contemporary art diverge," Tong says.

"What we have in common is that we've never abandoned the profession of artist over the past three decades. It is our shared persistence in art that has made us a band of brothers."

To mark their unremitting tenacity and friendship, Tong planned a group exhibition, titled Brotherhood, Manhood, that's ongoing at Zoomart Gallery in Beijing's Caochangdi art village. The exhibition runs through Dec 31.