Touring through “Dialogue with Leonardo da Vinci / The 4th Art & Science International Exhibition” on the first floor, Liu Yandong showed great interest, stopping from time to time to ask for the detailed description of the art works. This special exhibition features da Vinci’s 60 original sketches from the Codex Atlanticus, his design models, and his famous oil painting, The Last Supper (around 1611-1616, reproduced by Vespino) . This is the largest public display of da Vinci’s authentic original sketches outside of Italy. The exhibition also showcased contemporary international art and science innovations. As Liu examined closely, she complimented that the exhibition was effective in explaining the relationship between art and sciences from different fields and viewpoints. This inspires imagination and triggers intercultural thinking and synthesis.
On the second floor of the museum, there is an exhibition of “‘Sincerely yours’- Personal Letters of Tsinghua Scholars”. Tsinghua University archives provided precious historical material, including personal letters by 130 famous Tsinghua University scholars. Liu Yandong attentively read the letters by Wang Guowei, Liang Qichao, Chen Yinke, Feng Youlan, Liang Sicheng, Fei xiaotong. She interacted with the museum staff and expressed her appreciation for the styles by the great masters.
September 10th evening, Tsinghua University Art Museum held its opening ceremony in the first floor lobby. Hua Jianmin, former vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Tsinghua University Strategic Development Committee, He Yiting, executive vice president of the Central Party School, Zhao Shi, party-secretary and vice president of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Feng Yuan, vice president of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, vice president of Central Research Institute of Culture and History, vice president of Chinese Artists Association, honorary president of the Tsinghua University academy of fine arts, the curator and director of the Tsinghua University Art Museum, Qiu Yong, Tsinghua University President, academician, Chen Xu, Tsinghua University secretary of the Party Committee, Chen-Ning Franklin Yang, Nobel Prize Winner, professor of Tsinghua University, and other guests attended the opening ceremony, hosted by Deng Wei, the deputy party secretary.
Tsinghua University Deputy Party Secretary Deng Wei Hosting the Ceremony
Guan Qiang, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, addressed in his speech: a high quality college museum is an important indicator for the university’s deep academic and cultural background. A great university needs a great museum. As one of the well-known universities both domestically and internationally, Tsinghua University has strong foundations in both humanities and science and engineering. Historically, it has fostered many great scientists and leaders in many different fields. Building off of this, Tsinghua University Art Museum is a palace of art, welcoming to all. It is the fusion of sciences and art, history and the present. Not only is it a beautiful site on campus, it is also an environment providing an opportunity for students, faculties, and all to get in touch with the rich culture and classical art of China and the world.
Guan Qiang, Deputy Director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage giving a speech
In his speech, Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University, said the university having gone through 105 years, was now standing on a new starting point, and more determined than ever to encourage creative talent and increase in educational quality. Tsinghua should aim towards the goal of a more creative, more globalized, more cultured future. Today’s opening ceremony launched the exhibitions, was also the beginning of a new chapter of Tsinghua University. Determined to promote culture and humanities, consolidate art forms, encourage innovation, and foster essential values, Tsinghua University will continue to pursue fusing the east and the west, past and present, and humanities and sciences to construct a world class university art museum!
Qiu Yong, President of Tsinghua University giving a speech
Feng Yuan, director of Tsinghua University Art Museum, addressed, Tsinghua University had strong foundations in both humanities and science and engineering. In the last slightly more than a hundred years, it has fostered many great scientists and leaders in different fields. With a base like this, the newly established Tsinghua University Art Museum should persist in researching within the high-end academia to spread culture and demonstrating high level research achievements to lead and inspire students and faculties and educate the common population. In the future, Tsinghua Art Museum would continue its ideas of traditional style, academic values, creative intentions and personalized services to encourage Tsinghua students, teachers, and other visitors to connect with the global cultural exchange. The museum would exhibit both professional approved classical Chinese art works and contemporary innovative creations to expand the Chinese culture influences in the global scene. Feng Yuan believed that the art museum would become Tsinghua University’s new signature, symbolizing the traditions from the past to present, representing the evolving cultural atmosphere, eventually contributing to making Tsinghua University one of the toppest in the world, while inheriting the cultural evolution.
Feng Yuan, Director of Tsinghua University Art Museum Speaking
After the speech, Hua Jianmin, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Chairman of Tsinghua University Strategic Development Committee announced the opening of the museum.
Hua Jianmin, Former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress , Chairman of Tsinghua University Strategic Development Committee Announces the Opening
At the end, the bionic artificial intelligent butterfly show, performed by the German artists from Festo company, brought the ceremony to a highlight. Artificial intelligent butterflies soaring elegantly in the air symbolizes the perfect combination between art and sciences. They carry beautiful hopes and dreams and fly towards Tsinghua University Art Museum’s brighter future!
Bionic Intelligent Butterfly Show by the German Company, Festo, on the Opening Ceremony
Art and Science Converged
Art aims for emotional and personal subjective expression, while science advocates for using logic to seek the truth and knowledge of the universe. Art and science utilizes different media to demonstrate human’s understanding and discovery of the world and life. Science serves as the wings to art, flying it above the mundane. Art opens the gate for science, leading towards freedom and truth. Tsinghua University Art Museum is resolved to create an environment for art and science to perfectly converge, and display the combined power of art and science to the world.
History and Culture Intertwined
Artifacts are the most precious gifts from our ancestors, and culture is the reflection of historical background and social development. As the Tsinghua University’s first museum, Tsinghua University Art Museum is the combination of the university’s history and culture. Not only is the museum a symbol of a world class university, but it also protects cultural information, promotes academic history, and accelerates interdisciplinary studies. Tsinghua University Art Museum will become the key conjunction between Tsinghua University and the outside world to promote and exchange art and culture. The seven opening exhibitions all provide different perspectives of art, as they compete to let the visitors visually feast on a fantastic medley of science and art, traditions and innovations.
Building a World Class University Art Museum.
A great university needs a great museum. After 105 years, Tsinghua University is standing on the starting line of a new century, facing the world with courage and confidence, keeping authenticity to become a top university in the global scene. Tsinghua University Art Museum set high standards ever since its beginning, is determined to promote culture and humanities, consolidate art forms, encourage innovation, and foster essential values. Tsinghua University Art museum will continue to pursue interaction between the east and the west, past and present, and humanities and sciences to construct a world class university art museum!
