Past Exhibitions>
This is the seventh national edition of "The Start of a Long Journey." In the seven years since the first exhibition in 2010, the program has continued to adhere to the original intention of that first show: "The national exhibition of 'The Start of a Long Journey' presents works from the best students, as designated by their own institutions, from the participating art academies. These artworks sensitively and truthfully reflect the accomplishments of Chinese academic art in the contemporary context. This exhibition provides those of us concerned with art education with a platform for comparison between schools and between the academic world and the broader art ecosystem." Through cooperation between these academies, "The Start of a Long Journey" has become an academic brand that looks to the future, with an influence that extends across China and around the world. This platform has allowed these academies to promote outstanding young artists and support their growth, but it has also allowed them to support and engage with each other. The exhibition shares their highly effective teaching methods, and extends and discusses advanced themes in education on a national platform, effectively promoting exchange and advancement within higher art education in China. Through "The Start of a Long Journey," a number of students have received further opportunities to study and make art, invitations to participate in exhibitions and art programs, and chances to continue their studies at art academies overseas; these opportunities have become the start of a new path. The works shown in this exhibition present the tensions that the students have observed after four years of study. These young people are the most vital and growing parts of the art ecology, and their work is an early, developing form of visual expression, providing diverse intellectual perspectives and possibilities for the evolution of future talent. The catalog for this exhibition presents the participating artists' attitudes towards art and their understandings of their social environment, as well as their tutors' careful comments on their works. These short texts will nourish future artworks, but they also represent the artistic lineage of teachers and students. Even as we encourage these new graduates, I sincerely hope that, in the years to come, young artists will be more deliberate and steady in their progress, and more heartfelt in their expressions, even if this might make those first steps somewhat clumsier.
