Host
Tsinghua University

Co-organizers
Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University Art Museum

Exhibition Duration
April 3, 2026 – May 5, 2026

Exhibition Venue
Halls 7-8, 4th Floor, Tsinghua University Art Museum

Chief Planners
Qin Chuan, Wu Qiong

Chief Curator
Fang Xiaofeng

Associate Curators
Liang Wen, Liu Ping, He Jing, Liang Kai, Chen Yunbing

Exhibition Coordinators
Wang Xiaomo, Wang Xiaoxin, Chen Lei

Exhibition Design
Cui Xiaosheng

Visual Design
Zhou Yue

Acknowledgements
Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University History Exhibition Room

ZhuangShi Magazine

Exhibition Foreword

This exhibition commences with the theme of “newness.” Since the dawn of the new century and the emergence of a new era, the nation and society have sustained development to unprecedented heights, while the international landscape has undergone profound shifts, ushering in new dynamics. In this evolving context, art and design also confront a myriad of new challenges and questions, ranging from macroscopic systems to intricate details. These issues and challenges encompass various aspects of economy, culture, and daily life, and are also pertinent to talent cultivation, disciplinary innovation, and industrial transformation. It is imperative that we squarely address all unfolding realities and proactively articulate contemporary solutions through both theoretical construction and practical breakthroughs.

Since its establishment in 1956, the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University (formerly the Central Academy of Arts & Design), has consistently taken as its mission to serve national needs and to enhance public well-being. It has repeatedly stood at the vanguard of historical trends, always adhering to its foundational principles and original aspirations. In 1999, the Central Academy of Arts & Design completed its merger with Tsinghua University. In this new historical phase, the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, with its core commitment to the 'integration of art and science,' has diligently expanded the frontiers of design studies, fine arts, and art studies, evolving with the times. It has undertaken a series of visionary explorations and exemplary demonstrations on how to foster art and design within a comprehensive university setting. In April 2021, when inspecting Tsinghua University, President Xi Jinping delivered important remarks at the Academy of Arts & Design, elucidating the synergistic advancement of fine arts, art, science, and technology. He underscored the importance of fine arts serving economic and social development and high-quality living needs, and encouraged “using beauty as a medium to strengthen international cultural exchange.” Seizing this opportune moment and building on favorable momentum, the Academy has rooted itself deeply in the nation’s soil, responded to the concerns of the people, and achieved new milestones through comprehensive reform and progress.

In anticipation of its 70th anniversary, we have successively hosted the exhibitions From the Seine to Guanghua Road: The Modernization of “Zhuangshi” and “Forms of the People: The Artistic Path of the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University”. This exhibition, the third in the series, “focuses on the new century and new era,” systematically surveying the Academy’s representative achievements during this period. It unpacks the evolution of its pedagogical philosophies and cultural lineages through four thematic units: New Regulations, New Models, New Visions, and New Narratives, which can also be viewed as four dimensions of the art and design disciplines. These achievements transcend purely formal expression, collectively demonstrating the cultural awareness of the Academy’s faculty and students amidst rapid social transformation. They also reflect a deepening exploration of aesthetic questions as art and design confront technological advancements, ethical scrutiny, and value judgments.

“Newness” is both an objectively generated fact and a subjectively active meaning. It is hoped that through this series of exhibitions and academic discussions, society will gain a more comprehensive understanding of the development of contemporary art and design. The Academy also aims to garner greater attention and understanding, and sincerely welcomes critique and guidance from all sectors.

Prologue Hall

At this critical juncture of profound global transformation unseen in a century, innovation in design and fine arts demands not only formal deliberation and aesthetic judgment but also a deeper engagement with the underlying structures of society, economy, and culture. It requires a broader perspective to address the new challenges and demands posed by the era.

This unit presents the key propositions we must confront, from the present to the future, using keywords and concise phrases. Through specific and meticulously crafted practical achievements across various dimensions, the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, embarks on paths and strategies to break new ground and foster innovation amidst the currents of our time.

New Regulations

The completeness of rules and systems can be considered a significant indicator of a civilization's stage of development. Rules and systems not only achieve order and management through constraint but also embody a synthesis of diverse values, forming a crucial foundation for enhancing quality. From national honor systems and military/police uniforms to national symbols and public information graphics; from high-speed railway wayfinding systems to urban traffic color standards—these endeavors reflect both the deepening and refinement of regulation, as well as the new demands arising from societal development. Design, in this context, not only establishes order through visual outcomes but also thereby defines the aesthetic benchmarks of society and shapes the spiritual character of epochal culture.

The content of this unit allows us to better understand how design studies, employing systematic and standardized thinking alongside an understanding of public value, intervenes within the nation’s macroscopic governance framework and plays a role within its deeper structures.

New Models

The formation of models, while beneficial for efficient organization and management, can also become a constraint; thus, model innovation becomes a crucial proposition during periods of transitional development. Alongside the transformation of social structures and the evolution of knowledge production, the operational mechanisms of art and design are undergoing profound redefinition. The Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, guided by “the integration of art and science” as its educational philosophy and exploratory pathway, is undertaking systematic explorations in interdisciplinary collaboration, industry-academia-research integration, social innovation, high-quality living needs, and cultural heritage innovation. This endeavor is progressively constructing an open, fluid, and shared system for creation and research.

The “newness” of these models is manifested in breakthroughs in organizational forms, research methodologies, and creative mechanisms. The Academy actively intervenes in the public sphere, expanding the social value boundaries of art and design through the collaborative efforts of diverse stakeholders.

New Visions

Visual language is the expression of the epoch’s spirit that transcends text; it is both the origin and destination of self-exploration in art and design.

Since its establishment, the Academy has deeply cultivated the rich cultural lineage of “decoration and form,” continuously transforming traditional decorative languages creatively in response to historical development. Post-1999, the Academy has persistently questioned the essence of formal language in artistic creation. Driven by a people-centered creative orientation, art is brought back to life, using visual languages accessible to the public to address their aspirations for a better life, thereby showcasing the people-centered nature of visual creation. Interpreting cultural connotations with contemporary visual language makes “New Visions” a vivid embodiment of cultural confidence.

New Narratives

Since the new century and new era, the reconfiguration of the global landscape, the iterative evolution of media technologies, and the increasing complexity of social issues have collectively driven transformations in narrative approaches. The Academy, using beauty as a medium, is establishing and exploring a richly interwoven narrative system.

At the level of national narratives, the Academy extensively participates in the artistic creation for major projects such as National Day celebrations, the Olympic Games, and national landmarks, interpreting national identity through contemporary language. In the dimension of cultural heritage, it explores the contemporary transformation of traditional craftsmanship, making narrative a bridge connecting history with the future. In the realm of academic discourse, it disseminates new concepts and values in art and design to the industry and society through diverse forms.

Epilogue Hall

Reflecting on possibilities amid challenges
Exploring feasibility through practice

Radiating brilliance through innovation
Serving the people with that brilliance

Fruits along Guanghua Road
Weaving the grand chapter of a new era

…