On December 3, 2016, Original Aspiration: the Fifth Exhibition of Graduate Students from CAFA opened at the Rose Bud Art Space, and it is jointly hosted by the Youth League Committee of CAFA, Graduate Student Union of CAFA and the Rose Bud Art Center, co-organized by the Cultural Center of Chaoyang District, Sanpieyishu・Micro Public Welfare, Du Hongting Design, to present more than 90 works by graduates for Master and Ph.D. degrees, covering Chinese calligraphy, Chinese painting, oil painting, print, sculpture, mixed media, installation, photography, design and other art categories. The exhibition organization, planning and arrangement of the exhibition were also finished by CAFA, and reflect a multi-disciplinary professional presentation of CAFA.

Deputy Party Secretary of CAFA Sun Hongpei attended and addressed the opening ceremony, he affirmed that the graduate student exhibition was an important platform for students to create, exchange and explore after the end of their courses, and it was stronger and bigger after five sessions of effort and development, and it was more concerned than many fraternal institutions, revealing a growing social influence. At the same time, Sun Hongpei also hoped that students of CAFA keep the original aspiration to devote themselves to the arts, to the development and prosperity of Chinese literary and artistic career, to remember the inheritance from the masters of the academy while being devoted to the construction of the country and spreading the advanced culture to people.

Since the first exhibition of graduate students was held in 2012, it has been approved and sustained by the teachers and students of the academy. The solicitation started in August 2016 and the deadline was in October, during this period it received a total of more than 300 works from various faculties, and invited professors as well as associate professors from various faculties to constitute a jury to vote depending on the submission of works and then the final exhibition emerged.

“Original Aspiration” – the Exhibition of Graduate Students from CAFA is a major part of the 5th CAFA Graduate Students Forum. It is intended to seek an original idea from the work by the artist. Original aspiration itself contains a choice, which demonstrates a favorite life pursuit from feelings, experience and practice. The works are a source for the artist to express themselves and a source for the viewer to feel. Thus the exhibition aims at allowing viewers to experience through the work, and to learn the artistic life narrated by a group of persevering young artists. Based on this, the show broke the concept of “wall”, namely the work is not attached to the exhibition wall any more, but is hung by what appears to be lines from the sky. The work is no longer a superimposed display between two faces, which means that the spatial narrative scope will be more extensive.

After the opening of the exhibition, a series of activities entitled “The Night of Original Aspiration • University Party” was unfolded, to invite Beijing Dance Academy, Central Conservatory of Music, Chinese Conservatory of Music, Central Academy of Fine Arts for a performance exchange. In addition, “Night Drawing by Light”, “Night Talk on Original Aspiration”, “Original Screening •Video” sections joined the events, to offer a platform for communication between art lovers and exhibiting artists.

This exhibition has an agreement with http://www.artron.net/ on the “on-line action”, through the “on-line action” collectors and art lovers can quickly and easily reach their favorite works, to achieve effective interaction between collectors and artists. At the same time, the derivatives of the exhibition have been sold at Yijian Art Laboratory.

The exhibition continues to December 13, 2016.

Edited and photo by Zhang Wenzhi, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO

(Works courtesy of the organizers)

List of Participating Artists

Cen Daoyi, Chen Zipeng, Tian Shuai, Cui Shiyu, Dai Lina, Di Jinjun, Du Guoguang, Ding Ning, Fan Jia, Gan Dige, Gu Yini, Guo Zhigang, He Yi, Jin Jiang, Li Bowei, Li Fei, Li Jiao, Li Nan, Li Shengnan, Li Yewei, Liu Xinwei, Liu Zaiwen, Luo Yi, Mo Yin, Pang Xiaochen, Qu Yizhu, Quan Zi, Shi Yuanxin, Shi Wenjuan, Sun Hao, Sun Jinlong, Sun Yong, Wang Xiangjie, Wang Yu, Yan Xiyu, Yang Chunxiao, Yang Xingyun, Yang Xuan, Yin Liang, Yin Siwen, Li Changfan, Yuan Xiaoxuan, Yue Yichuan, Zhang Chenzhi, Zhang Jiayi, Zhang Zhuo, Zhao Tianshun, Yang Shuwen, Zhou Tengbin, Zhou Yilei, Zhu Baoyuan, Zhu Xinyu, Zou Yang, Hou Ziyan, Ma Yehong, Wang Chuan, Li Mingren, Xu Jing, Xiang Renchong, Yang Kai, Zhang Niu, Jia Zheng, Liu Chang, Cheng Mengmeng, Cheng Siyuan, Chang Yongliang, Dong Hao, Gao Yuan, Jing Dejun, Luo Zheng, Xiao Yao, Yang Rui, Zhang Jingwen, Zhang Xi, Zhang Yunshan (ranked depending on the submission order)