On December 8, 2025, the “Radiance of Dunhuang: Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University—Exhibition on Dunhuang Art Research and Design Achievements” officially opened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA. Co-hosted by the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, the UN Chinese Book Club, and the Federation of Tsinghua Alumni Associations in North America, the exhibition is co-organized by the Department of Textile, Clothing, and Art Design of Tsinghua University and the Tsinghua University Academy of Arts & Design Alumni Association of North America. Chang Shana, former President of the Central Academy of Arts & Design and Professor at Tsinghua University, serves as the Chief Advisor.
Following its successful debut at the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris in October 2024, this exhibition marks the second stop of its international tour, once again focusing on the theme of Dunhuang and presenting the latest research and design achievements to an international audience. Over 200 guests attended the opening ceremony, including representatives from various countries, UN officials, delegates from the Education Office of the Chinese Consulate General in New York, and Tsinghua alumni.
Yu Yougen (Left) and Wang Xiaomo (Right) Deliver Remarks
Yu Yougen, education counselor at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, delivered an opening address, welcoming the teachers and students of Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts & Design to New York and congratulating the exhibition’s launch. He emphasized that Dunhuang, a historic cultural hub on the Silk Road, boasts murals, sculptures, and classics that are treasures of human cultural heritage. Yu commended the Academy’s efforts in Dunhuang art research and innovative practice, expressing hope that institutions, researchers, and enthusiasts would strengthen collaboration to promote the preservation, study, and contemporary dissemination of Dunhuang culture, allowing this splendid legacy to shine with new vitality on the world stage.
Wang Xiaomo, Vice Dean of the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, noted that Dunhuang art is not only a longstanding research focus of the Academy but also embodies the academic traditions and spiritual heritage passed down through generations of scholars. She recalled Chang Shana’s experience of copying Dunhuang murals and drawing inspiration for artistic creation and education, stressing that cultural inheritance and innovation remain at the core of the Academy’s mission. Wang highlighted that the exhibited works include the latest explorations by teachers, students, and alumni in Dunhuang research, digital technology, artificial intelligence, and virtual fashion. “From Paris to New York, the ‘Radiance of Dunhuang’ exhibition will continue to serve as a medium of art and design, building cross-cultural bridges to foster deeper international dialogue and understanding.”
Ren Gang (Left) and Zhou Tinghua (Right) Deliver Remarks
Ren Gang, President of the Federation of Tsinghua Alumni Associations in North America, stated that Dunhuang symbolizes the profound heritage of Chinese civilization and embodies the spirit of openness, inclusivity, and cultural exchange. She emphasized that the creativity of the Academy’s faculty and students has injected new vitality into Dunhuang art, revitalizing it in the contemporary context. Showcasing Dunhuang research achievements at the UN, she added, represents a significant presentation of Chinese culture on the international stage, conveying the Tsinghua spirit to global audiences and demonstrating the commitment and capability of contemporary Chinese youth to promote cultural exchange through art and drive dialogue through creativity.
Zhou Tinghua, President of the UN Chinese Book Club, noted that since its establishment in 1972, the Book Club has strived to introduce Chinese culture to the world through diverse activities. The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the UN, making the presentation of Dunhuang—a shared human cultural heritage—especially meaningful. She praised the Academy’s over half a century of fruitful efforts in Dunhuang art preservation and innovation, expressing hope that visitors would deeply appreciate the enduring charm of Dunhuang art through the exhibition.
Following the opening ceremony, curator Li Yingjun provided a professional guided tour for guests. The exhibition features over 80 sets/pieces of works and documents, systematically presenting representative achievements in Dunhuang art research and design by the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University across two key periods of heritage and innovation.
The first period (1940s–1980s) showcases pioneering efforts by artists such as Pang Xunqin, Chang Shana, Chen Hanmin, and Liu Jude. Their work in mural copying, pattern collation, artistic research, and design laid a foundation for inheriting Dunhuang art through modern design to serve national needs, embodying the spirit of exploring and innovating in the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture. This period has exerted a profound influence on the Academy and China’s modern art and design education.
The second period (past 20 years) features work by faculty, students, and alumni exploring Dunhuang art from multiple perspectives. Utilizing traditional intangible cultural heritage techniques such as weaving, dyeing, and embroidery, alongside modern technologies including 3D printing and AIGC, the exhibits span painting, fashion, architecture, textiles, sculpture, and virtual art. This collection demonstrates the Academy’s depth and breadth in Dunhuang art research and inheritance, as well as its diverse interpretations and innovative vitality in the contemporary context. Additionally, precious monographs and literature on Dunhuang mural copying, costume studies, and pattern collation are on display.
Through the juxtaposition of “tradition” and “contemporary,” the exhibition offers a novel and profound interpretation of Dunhuang art—a treasure of Eastern culture—in an international context. The event has garnered enthusiastic feedback, with visitors highly praising its academic value and presentation. As a dialogue across time and geography, the exhibition vividly embodies the significance of cultural exchange, echoes the spirit of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and celebrates the beauty of diverse civilizations thriving through interaction and integration.
Exhibition Highlights
