October 27th, 2012, organized by the Chinese Artists Association and the Central Academy of Fine Arts and sponsored by the Environmental Design Arts Committee of the Chinese Artists Association and School of Design, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Design for China: The Fifth National Exhibition and Forum of Environmental Design was inaugurated at the Art Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
Prof. Huang Jiancheng, Deputy Director of the Environmental Design Arts Committee of the Chinese Artists Association and Associate Dean of the School of Urban Design, CAFA presided over the opening ceremony. Distinguished guests present at the ceremony included: Pan Gongkai, President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Chang Shana, consultant for Chinese Artists Association and former standing committee of the National People’s Congress, Prof. Zhang Yiman from School of Architecture, CAFA, Xu Zhongou, Dean of School of Design, CAFA, Liu Dongyan, Deputy Director of the Literature and Art Department, the Ministry of Culture and so on.
Pan Gongkai thought this exhibition has opened a window for the audience to comprehend the development of environmental design in China, through which they were able to witness the excellent practices of Chinese design and come into contact with the latest developments and ideas in design. It was such a meaningful event that it showcased the potential strength of academic design and proved to be a successful practice in design. On behalf of Zhu Di, Deputy Director of the Department of Art, Ministry of Culture, Liu Dongyan spoke of the important responsibilities environmental art and design in China has shouldered along with the increasing emphasis on urban space and environment in the process of rapid urbanization in China.
Forum activities corresponding with the exhibition were held respectively at the lecture hall of CAFA Art Museum and the North Auditorium of CAFA on the afternoons of October 27 and 28. Themes of this forum included: Innovation and Breakthrough in the Domestic Design in China, Creative Life and Innovative Housing and Environmental Art and Design Teaching. Combined with the hot topics concerned with the circle of design, this forum has invited domestic and international leading scholars such as Professor Zhang Qiman, Professor Alberto Foyo (U.S.A.), Professor Alain Bony (France), Eriuch Werner Petersen(Denmark) , Professor Jooyun Kim (Korea) to discuss and explore issues related to the innovation and breakthrough of China’s domestic design, low-carbon life and creative home as well as environmental art and design education.
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An Awards night of this grand exhibition was held on the evening of October 27 including the awarding ceremony of Chinese Artists Award Nomination, Outstanding Award, Best Creative Design Award, Best Hand-painted Award as well as the performance of Glimmering Source of Ink: New Media Environmental Art Exhibition including the most pioneering show of environmental art in China such as Sonata of Physical Dimensions—Hyperspace Dance Environment by Wu Qiuyan and Yixiang Group, Power Migratory—Cross-electronic Environment by Yan Nick Narman (Switzerland) and Yang Tao, City Style of Water and Clouds—Flowing Video Installation by Wang Zhan and the 17-year-old Research Group, Communications between Longitude and Latitude—Circling Information Site Environment by Tan Qi and Experimental Video Studio of CAFA and Solidification and Mirror Image—Coldly Improvised Audio-visual Environment by Liu Yijun (Lao Wu of the band Tang Dynasty) and Zheng Da.
Election and Awards of Design for China: The Fifth National Exhibition and Forum of Environmental Design have been divided into a professional group and a student group. Through the rigorous initial evaluation and re-evaluation, 86 dissertations, 246 finalists including 10 pieces of “Chinese Artists Ward Nomination”, 5 pieces of “Best Hand-painted Award” , 11 pieces of “Best Creative Design Award”, 40 pieces of “Outstanding Award” and another 180 “finalists” have been announced as incorporated into the portfolio officially published soon.
Photo by Dong Huiping, Quan Jin/ CAFA Art Museum.
