On March 22, the 2024 Xiamen International Design and Art Week commenced with a grand opening ceremony at the Xiamen Art Museum. Themed “YUE DONG: Design Creates High-Quality Life”, this event presents an international exhibition featuring avant-garde design and art masterpieces to the public. Additionally, it includes five prestigious academic activities and three entertainingly informative open lectures on design and art for public benefit. By providing an aesthetic feast for Xiamen’s residents, the event aims to improve urban innovation and creativity, foster excellent urban design talent, and modernize urban space governance to ultimately contribute to the development of Xiamen’s new quality productivity.
Immersive experience
Get up close with the charm of design art
From March 22 to April 6, the Xiamen International Design and Art Exhibition will be on display at the Xiamen Art Museum, offering visitors a unique blend of visual and intellectual delights. This exhibition brings together top works from 72 renowned designers, artists, and independent studios from 15 countries and regions. Among them are exploratory masterpieces from internationally acclaimed design firms such as SOM and BIG, alongside captivating creations by figures like Kenya Hara, Ma Yansong, Shuhei Aoyama, Dong Gong, Wang Hui, Cheng Xiangjun, Liu Xiaohui, and other celebrated designers and artists from home and abroad. These works not only showcase the designers’ exceptional craftsmanship and innovative thinking but also unveil the intrinsic connection between design and art and contemporary life.
As reported, the exhibition has curated four thematic sections: YUE DONG Art, YUE DONG Digitalization, YUE DONG Space, and YUE DONG Life, with a diverse range of art forms including painting, sculpture, installation, architecture, furniture products, and digital art. Within the YUE DONG Art section, visitors can immerse themselves in an array of innovative and engaging artworks.
According to Prof. Yang Dongjiang, the chief planner of the Xiamen International Design and Art Week and Associate Dean of the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, the exhibition aims to deepen visitors’ understanding of the allure and significance of design and art. By showcasing a diverse array of works, the exhibition seeks to highlight the close connection between design and life and spark aesthetic contemplation among visitors. Moreover, it serves as a platform for designers, artists, and enthusiasts of aesthetics to engage in dialogue and exchange ideas to explore the role of design and art in addressing key social issues, such as advancing social development and building innovation-oriented countries.
Discussions on art and beauty
Expert exchanges on design innovation
The second highlight of the event is the keynote speech session during the opening ceremony in the afternoon. This session brings together a panel of experts in international design education, including Ma Sai, Dean of the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, Qiu Zhijie, Vice President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Naren Barfield, Deputy Vice Chancellor at the Royal College of Art, and Gordon Hush, Head of the School of Innovation & Technology at the Glasgow School of Art. It also features Li Tianyuan, Vice Chairman of the Design Committee and General Manager of Automobile Industrial Design at Xiaomi Group, and renowned Japanese designer Shuhei Aoyama. These experts and scholars, representing diverse perspectives and specialized fields, share their insights and ideas on topics such as art and design education in the age of artificial intelligence, the interplay between design, art, and daily life, and the development of creative industries.
As reported, four academic activities—“Innovations in Artistic Imagery”, “The Mission of Future Design”, “Exploring Digital Art”, and the “Annual Conference on Interior Design Education”—will take place in succession on March 23.
The flourishing development of urban design and art ecosystems is a key indicator of the progress of urban civilization. The 2024 Xiamen International Design and Art Week represents a design and art feast for the public; it also fosters the exchange and exploration of innovative and creative concepts. Currently, Xiamen’s design and art industry is experiencing unprecedented growth opportunities. This event is poised to spark citywide interest in design and art, while also fostering the growth and development of local design talent. It will enrich the city’s cultural landscape, boost the development of high-quality productivity, and contribute to Xiamen’s goal of becoming a leader in achieving socialist modernization.
