At 9:00 a.m. on November 16, the opening ceremony of the International Award for Public Art (IAPA) Ceremony & Symposium was held in the Library Lecture Hall of Shanghai University. The opening ceremony was hosted by Jin Jiangbo, Executive Dean of Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University. Distinguished guests including Jin Xingming, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Fan Di'an, Chairman of the China Artists Association and former President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts; Pan Lusheng, Vice Chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Chairman of the China Folk Literature and Art Association; Xia Yujing, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles; Wang Hao, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission; Lewis Biggs, Chairman of the Institute for Public Art; Jack Becker, Vice Chairman of the Institute for Public Art and founder of the Public Art Review magazine; Jin Yaqiu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Shanghai Science and Art Society, and Professor at Fudan University; Liu Changsheng, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of Shanghai University; Jiao Xingtao, President of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute; Han Xu, Vice President of the China Academy of Art; and Fang Bin, Chairman of the International Institute of Public Art at Shanghai University and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Branding China Group, were among the prominent figures in culture and art from both China and abroad, as well as esteemed scholars and experts in the field of public art from around the globe, who attended the opening ceremony.
On behalf of the organizers, Liu Changsheng, President of Shanghai University, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, highlighting that public art is a distinctive art discipline of Shanghai University, which has always been in harmony with the city's development. In recent years, we focus on serving the national strategy and the major needs of Shanghai, and have set up the national experimental teaching demonstration center "Public Art Technology Experimental Teaching Center", the first batch of Shanghai collaborative innovation center "Public Art Cooperation Center", founded the academic journal Public Art and initiated the “International Award for Public Art” (IAPA), the only international organization that evaluates outstanding public art achievements. He emphasized that it is a significant endeavor aimed at propelling the transformation and innovation of art education in the new era, and at cultivating outstanding art talents by constructing an international public art academic network and a platform featuring distinguished think tanks in colleges and universities. Addressing societal challenges with the insight of artistic intelligence is a crucial mandate of public art, and it represents both the duty and aspiration of artists. It is the zeitgeist's intention to ground itself in a global perspective and to focus on public art's concern for human life.
Fan Di'an, Chairman of China Artists Association, said in his speech that Shanghai University is steeped in a distinguished educational heritage and boasts a rich academic legacy. The International Institute of Public Art established by Shanghai University maintains an international outlook as it surveys the global landscape of public art development. With the ambition of fostering the advancement of contemporary public art in China, the Institute plays the leading role of a prestigious university in pooling top-tier resources and focusing on cutting-edge topics.
Lewis Biggs, Chairman of the Institute for Public Art, stated in the opening remarks that the Institute for Public Art is endeavoring to position Shanghai University as a curator of public art over more than a decade of collaboration with Shanghai University. Biggs focused on two principles that guide the Institute's leadership in public art research: first, regional research, which concentrates on identifying cultural commonalities and addressing issues within the diverse regions of the global cultural context; and secondly, underscoring the social value of public art, i.e., examining how public art can have a positive impact on social development and instigate societal change.
The opening ceremony invited Xia Yujing, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Wang Hao, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, to unveil the plaque for the Shanghai University International Institute of Public Art. They said that the Shanghai University International Institute of Public Art is an academic research institution that builds on the university's distinctive academic disciplines. Leveraging the comprehensive disciplinary advantages of Shanghai University, the institute employs the concept of "Placemaking" to address pressing international concerns like climate change, sustainable development, and the construction of a better society, thereby fostering the prosperity of global public art.
Mr. Huang Xiaochun, Director of the Humanities & Social Sciences Office at Shanghai University, announced the roster of members appointed to the Strategic Expert Committee and Academic Committee of the International Institute of Public Art by Shanghai University.
Meng Jianmin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a national master of engineering survey and design, who is a member of the Strategic Expert Committee of the Shanghai University International Institute of Public Art, sent a congratulatory video message. In it, he extended his congratulations to Shanghai University for embarking on another innovative step in the development of its academic disciplines. He expressed his hope that the International Institute of Public Art, leveraging the disciplinary strengths of Shanghai University, would convene experts and scholars in public art and related fields from both China and abroad. He envisioned the Institute making more and newer ventures in interdisciplinary development, digital innovation, and other areas that bridge art with science and technology. He looked forward to the establishment of an international research network in public art, where the Institute could play a significant role in disciplinary research, talent cultivation, and academic exchanges. Furthermore, he encouraged the Institute to actively explore the ways and means by which art can serve society, addressing the challenges and demands of social development.
President Liu Changsheng presented letters of appointment to Fan Di'an, Chairman of the Strategic Expert Committee and Chief Advisor of the Academic Committee of the International Institute of Public Art, Pan Lusheng and Lewis Biggs, Chairmen of the Academic Committee, as well as Academician Jin Yaqiu and Prof. Jiao Xingtao, who are the members of the Strategic Expert Committee, plus Prof. Han Xu, and Chairman Fang Bin, respectively. Finally, Jin Xingming, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, declared the opening.
In his keynote speech, Professor Pan Lusheng, Vice Chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Chairman of the China Folk Literary and Artist Association, explored the topic of "Public Art in China." He discussed the affirmative impact of public art on the construction of China's public cultural service system, the revitalization of traditional cultural resources in rural societies, the harmonization of community cultural development amidst urbanization, the promotion of a heightened public awareness among the populace, and the exploration of the interplay between public cultural education and public art.
Jiao Xingtao, member of the Council of the Chinese Artists Association, Director of the Sculpture Art Committee of the China Artists Association, and President of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, delivered a speech titled "The Three Interfaces of Chinese Public Art.” In his address, he discussed the connection between the political nature of public art and traditional culture. He summarized the three interfaces of "Chinese public art" and their corresponding characteristics: social "aesthetic education," public "participation," and spontaneous "performance." He pointed out that Chinese public art is the outcome of the interplay, intertwining, fusion, and compromise among these three forms.
Massamba Mbaye, African critic and curator of the Senegal Pavilion at the Venice Biennial 2024, spoke on the theme "To Sopi: Pick Up and Change". He presented an overview of the evolution of eco-public art in Senegal, with the example of "Set Setal," a project by Samba Sarr, a local visual artist and environmentalist committed to heightening environmental consciousness. He analyzed how this initiative leverages art to foster awareness of environmental concerns and contributes positively to community development, art education, and societal advancement.
Marina Pugliese, Head of Public Art and Director of the Museum of Cultures for the City of Milan (MUDEC), delivered a talk on the theme “Porosity between Public Art, Museums, and Communities”. She provided an overview of the recent advancements in public art within Milan. She emphasized that, amidst the growing significance of public spaces and the evolving demands of the urban landscape, it is crucial to consider how public art can be adapted and evolved to align with the city's developmental needs. She highlighted the particular importance of how museums can collaborate closely with communities to address their needs and to bolster the cultural development within those communities.
Throughout the event, a series of activities was conducted, including the Inauguration Ceremony of the Shanghai University International Institute of Public Art, International Award for Public Art (IAPA) Ceremony, the International Public Art Symposium, and the International Public Art Case Exhibition. The goal was to facilitate academic exchanges in the domain of international public art through a variety of formats such as academic seminars, result exhibitions, round-table dialogues, and other diverse methods. The event invited experts and scholars from around the world to concentrate on pressing topics like rural revitalization, urban construction, and social development. It aimed to share the latest research findings in international public art, investigate the successful experiences within the field, and discuss the future development trends of international public art through these collaborative sharing sessions and seminars. Through international exchanges and cooperation, there will be a furtherance in the establishment of an international academic platform for public art research, as well as the development of an international public art expert think tank network.
Throughout the event, a series of activities was conducted, including the Inauguration Ceremony of the Shanghai University International Institute of Public Art, International Award for Public Art (IAPA) Ceremony, the International Public Art Symposium, and the International Public Art Case Exhibition. The goal was to facilitate academic exchanges in the domain of international public art through a variety of formats such as academic seminars, result exhibitions, round-table dialogues, and other diverse methods. The event invited experts and scholars from around the world to concentrate on pressing topics like rural revitalization, urban construction, and social development. It aimed to share the latest research findings in international public art, investigate the successful experiences within the field, and discuss the future development trends of international public art through these collaborative sharing sessions and seminars. Through international exchanges and cooperation, there will be a furtherance in the establishment of an international academic platform for public art research, as well as the development of an international public art expert think tank network.
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