Creating Art of the Era, Shaping a New Global Art Landscape
HANGZHOU, China, April 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On April 8, 1928, at the opening ceremony of the National Academy of Art, Mr. Cai Yuanpei delivered his renowned speech and proclaimed, “The Academy was founded by West Lake to create beauty—to transform the superstitious minds of people into hearts that cherish beauty, thereby truly fulfilling human life.” Thus began the chapter of China’s higher education in fine arts.
For 97 years, unwavering in its original mission, China Academy of Art has remained dedicated to nurturing individuals and enriching life, fostering cultural awareness, agency, independence, and strength among the Chinese people.
On the occasion of CAA’s 97th anniversary, the “2025 CAA Report” unveils three key initiatives: Donation ceremony of Zao Wou-Ki’s artworks & Inauguration Ceremony of the Zao Wou-Ki Research Center, Inauguration of Zhejiang Key Research Base: Chinese Calligraphy and Seal Research Center, Launch Ceremony of Design Intelligence Award’s Innovation Incubation Initiative.
On the same day, CAA also launched a series of events celebrating its 97th anniversary:
- Black Myth: Wukong Art Exhibition — A visual exploration of the acclaimed video game’s mythopoeic aesthetics.
- “Painting 100” Program — A state-backed initiative to cultivate 100 New Era Youth Art Talents.
- Xiao Feng Art Museum Opening — Debuting with “Children of the Era: The Art Exhibition of Xiao Feng & Song Ren“.
Donation ceremony of Zao Wou-Ki’s artworks & Inauguration Ceremony of the Zao Wou-Ki Research Center
Ninety years ago, the 15-year-old Zao Wou-Ki arrived in Hangzhou and enrolled at the Hangzhou National College of Art (now the China Academy of Art), formally embarking on his artistic journey. West Lake became a lifelong artistic inspiration for him, while his alma mater remained an indelible creative origin etched into his very being.
Ninety years later, in recognition of the profound impact of the China Academy of Art’s major exhibition The Way is Infinite—Centennial Retrospective Exhibition of Zao Wou-Ki, the artist’s family has generously donated 213 works to CAA, including his early oil paintings, prints, and ceramics. This invaluable cultural treasure, now returned to China, to Hangzhou, and to his alma mater, not only fills a critical gap in the collections of mainland China’s public art museums—particularly in Zao Wou-Ki’s oil paintings—but will also significantly contribute to China’s role in reshaping the narrative of global art history, exerting a lasting and positive influence on Chinese art education and cultural innovation.
With selfless generosity, the donors have entrusted these precious works—imbued with both family memories and immense art-historical significance—to CAA and to Hangzhou, ensuring that Zao Wou-Ki’s artistic spirit continues to inspire future generations. This act of vision and magnanimity will be remembered in the annals of world art history.
To mark this historic donation, the China Academy of Art and the Zao Wou-Ki Foundation will jointly establish an internationally influential Zao Wou-Ki Research Center. Housed under the China Academy of Art Museum, the center will focus on the study and promotion of Zao Wou-Ki’s art through research publications, exhibitions, public education, and global exchanges. By engaging with Zao’s transcendent synthesis of tradition and modernity, East and West, the center will actively participate in shaping the new landscape of world art history.
Launch Ceremony of Design Intelligence Award’s Innovation Incubation Initiative
On April 9th, the Design Intelligence Award (DIA) Innovation Incubation Initiative was officially launched at China Academy of Art. With a decade of innovation, DIA is shaping the future of intelligent manufacturing. In collaboration with tech innovation enterprises like QiangBrain, Yushu, and Yunshen, the initiative introduces a closed-loop model of “Enterprise Proposals – University Solutions – Industry Transformation”, seamlessly connecting industry, academia, and research to turn creativity into reality. The first wave of supporting companies shared their inspiring messages, opening a new chapter in intelligent manufacturing.
Organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Government, DIA seeks to drive industrial transformation and talent development through design. Over the past decade, it has become China’s most globally influential innovation design award and a hub for technological innovation. DIA provides a platform for enterprises to cultivate talent, encourages independent innovation, and fosters design and R&D professionals. Moreover, DIA provides a global stage for collaboration between designers and enterprises, promoting international cooperation and development in design.
Inauguration of Zhejiang Key Research Base: Chinese Calligraphy and Seal Research Center
On April 9, as part of the 97th anniversary celebrations of the China Academy of Art, the Inauguration of Zhejiang Key Research Base: Chinese Calligraphy and Seal Research Center was held.
In 2023, upholding its pioneering spirit, the China Academy of Art formally established the School of Calligraphy. Now, with the accreditation of this provincial-level research base, the Chinese Calligraphy and Seal Research Center will join forces with the school to carry forward the academy’s tradition of balancing heritage preservation with innovation.
The institute is structured around three core research pillars:
- Chinese Script and Cultural Studies
- Theoretical and Textual Research on Calligraphy and Seal Engraving
- Creative Practice and Dissemination of Calligraphy and Seal Engraving
This initiative not only pays homage to the educational ideals of past masters but also reaffirms CAA’s academic mission as “the birthplace of higher education in calligraphy”. By strengthening autonomous discourse in Chinese calligraphy and seal engraving, it will provide robust scholarly support for enhancing the social influence and global reach of traditional Chinese culture.
“Painting 100” Program
On April 9, 2025, the “Painting 100” Program officially commenced at the China Academy of Art.
Initiated by the China Artists Association, the program encompasses multiple disciplinary modules including “Children’s Picture Books 100”, “Ceramics 100”, “Animation 100”, and “Painting 100”. Designed as a “seed project” for discovering, nurturing, and promoting young artistic talents, the program aims to preserve and revitalize outstanding traditional Chinese culture while facilitating its creative transformation and innovative development. By producing high-quality artistic works that meet the spiritual and cultural needs of the people, the initiative further promotes the core ethos of Chinese arts in the new era and highlights the diversity and richness of realist art creation.
The program features a broad selection of participants, a diverse panel of judges, a multi-tiered evaluation system, an innovative and comprehensive curriculum, as well as clearly defined teaching objectives and training approaches.
As a breakthrough initiative for cultivating young talents, “Painting 100” Program will drive the enduring legacy and continuous renewal of fine arts, fostering artistic roots for the times and creating enduring narratives for the people.
Black Myth: Wukong Art Exhibition
The “Black Myth: Wukong” Art Exhibition opened on April 9 at the CAA Art Museum in Hangzhou and will run until May 21.
Curated into seven thematic sections, the exhibition showcases “Black Myth: Wukong”, a groundbreaking Chinese AAA game, through original concept art for game environments and characters, reference photographs from field studies, models, statues, and merchandise. Many of the works are being publicly displayed for the first time.
The exhibition breaks down the boundaries between the virtual and physical realms of digital art, recreating the game’s iconic narratives, characters, environments, and props within a tangible space, allowing visitors to closely explore the artistic blueprints, production intricacies, and behind-the-scenes development stories of the game.
Xiao Feng Art Museum Opening — Debuting with “Children of the Era: The Art Exhibition of Xiao Feng & Song Ren“
On April 9th, the Xiao Feng Art Museum officially opened in celebration of the 97th anniversary of China Academy of Art, accompanied by the launch of the exhibition “Children of the Era: The Art Exhibition of Xiao Feng & Song Ren“.
At the opening ceremony, the 93-year-old Xiao Feng donated 503 core works from their eight-decade artistic journey. These pieces, spanning from the 1950s to the present, offer a comprehensive overview of their creative legacy. These masterpieces, representing a lifetime’s dedication, not only trace the evolution of their artistic trajectories but also embody their cultural mission. The exhibition serves as a valuable resource for contemporary art research and highlights their profound love for their nation and dedication to the spirit of their era.
As the 10th president of CAA, Xiao Feng brought unique intellectual vigor and bold reforms, leading the academy into a new chapter in the 1990s and making significant contributions to the development of art education in China.
