The graduation season in Chinese universities tend to be complicated as usually graduates are in a state of anxiety, on the one hand, they are confronted with the assessment from their teachers and parents on their academic record and on the other hand, they bear the brunt of stepping into society.

“Anxiety is inevitable, we should look on both sides of the shield. Though anxiety does harm to the physical and mental state, do not be afraid of anxiety as it is of benefit as well. When faced with new possibilities or a new environment, anxiety could stimulate more energy from oneself" as stated by Xu Bing, internationally acclaimed artist and professor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

“You may feel anxiety everywhere, if one has become accustomed to the life on campus, everything is unpredictable after he graduates…The intricate social relations in Chinese society exacerbate the problems the graduates may come across. As a matter of fact, tutors predict that things happen after the carnival and keep track of the development of graduates,” said Tang Hui, the Dean of Mural Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

This year’s graduation season of the Central Academy of Fine Arts(abbr. CAFA) has changed from the dull and serious atmosphere to the perspective of the graduates as the organizers of CAFA prefer to present a series of graduation activities in a relaxed, dynamic, open and pluralistic style. Hopefully all the 846 graduates experience growth during this month of the graduation season and get prepared for a promising journey after they leave the campus.

As Fan Di’an, the president of CAFA states, “Midsummer is the harvest season for the campus, showcasing the graduate works collectively has changed the traditional way of the graduation show, turning from the static and enclosed exhibition into academically interactive activities that are tridimensional, dynamic and open to the public. The graduation season in CAFA will benefit the staff and students of CAFA as a whole in order to carry out teaching research, to promote educational reform. Also it will favor all the graduates to increase their confidence, inspire them to create innovative ventures meanwhile its advantage lies in that the art world and society will have a better understanding of the CAFA, a broader creative platform therefore is established for all. ”

“The grand ceremony launched last night has announced the opening of a month-long event for the graduation season of the CAFA. As far as I remember, this is supposed to be the most solemn and hopeful graduation season I have participated in and it became a festival for everyone that belongs to CAFA! It has endowed everyone who has studied at the Central Academy of Fine Arts with a sense of pride and honor, also it fascinates those who have a deep longing for CAFA,” said Chen Xi, Professor of CAFA.

Wang Donglin, one of postgraduates leaving CAFA this summer shared her feelings after the ritual, “This is an exciting ritual that happened in CAFA, which makes me feel so proud and thrilled! I will not be able to help missing the campus from now on as I have been here for eight years. As the graduation season’s curtains rose, my eyes brimmed with tears when I watched the familiar faces and heard instructions from our tutors again on the screen, I was so proud of CAFA. With grateful sentiment and a strong sense of mission, I have taken part in the design work of the graduate show for the School of Design, though exhausted, I’m excited and proud to be a part of the emerging energy from CAFA!”

For the first time, the leadership team of CAFA walked down from the altar, transforming their way of inspecting the works and exhibitions of the graduates and they were devoted to organize a series of activities and a ceremony to be proud of all the graduates. Their joyful graduation from CAFA ended in June will be a new start for their journey in art hereafter.

The annual activities of the CAFA graduation season in 2015 reflected that art education in CAFA embraced with all art forms both China and the West, both in a traditional and contemporary way. With a broad vision, graduates from CAFA were provided with extraordinary creativity, further they were encouraged to experiment, explore and challenge. What surprises will they bring to us in the future? Let’s close our eyes and wait.

CAFA 2015 Graduation Exhibition: June 1 to June 30

Address: No.8 Hua Jia Di Nan Jie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R. China 100102

T: +86-10-6477-1093

F:+86-10-6477-1250

www.cafa.edu.cn

School of Chinese Painting   46 graduates

Oil Painting Department       43 graduates

Printmaking Department     33 graduates

Sculpture Department           35 graduates

Mural Painting Department       37 graduates

School of Experimental Art        20 graduates

School of Literature Arts             84 graduates

School of Design                              155 graduates

School of Architecture                   83 graduates

School of Urban Design                 316 graduates

CAFA Graduation Season Distribution

Building 5

CAFA History Hall: Printmaking Department

Teaching Exhibition Hall: Mural Painting Department

Rotating Stair Exhibition Hall/ Main Complex: School of Urban Design

Photography Studio: School of Design

Building 3 Art Museum

3A Exhibition Hall: School of Chinese Painting

3B Exhibition Hall: Oil Painting Department

3A + 3B Exhibition Hall: Sculpture Department

Floor 2 and 1/2 and Floor 4: School of Experimental Art

Floor 1 Public Education Area: School of Literature Arts

Building 2 Library

Library/ Campus Exhibition Hall: School of Urban Design

N Campus Exhibition Hall: School of Urban Design

Building 7

F-1 + F1 + F2+ F4 + F5: School of Design

F7 + F8: School of Architecture

F1 Red Chair Lecture Hall: School of Urban Design

Event List for 2015 CAFA Graduation Season

June 1 / Special media preview and the press conference for the Graduation Season, address: all campus exhibition spaces, Audio-Visual Lecture Hall

At Night on June 1 / The opening ceremony of the Graduation Season, address: Multi-Function Hall Square, contents: image show, release of academic costume, fashion show, performance, etc.

June 1 – June 30 / Graduation Exhibition for Undergraduates, all campus exhibition spaces

June 1 – June 30 / Graduate Recommendation Project, a platform for employers and graduates to exchange/ release of job offers/ recommending graduates’ works online

May 27 – June 22 / B3 + Beijing Moving Image Exhibition, address: Gallery F2, CAFA Art Museum

At Night on June 2 – June 7 / Talk and address: Campus lawn, Amphitheater, for a dialogue with the representatives of the graduates

June 2 / Finals of the 6th College Students Entrepreneurship Competition, address: Audio-Visual Lecture Hall

June 3 / Criticizing and Listening Conference for the graduates of the School of Experimental Art, address: VIP room, CAFA Art Museum

June 3 / Dialogue with Experts, address: CAFA Art Museum Café, to invite the experts in the art world to participate in the dialogue

June 4 – June 21 / Enter the Heatherwick Studio, address: CAFA Art Museum

June 5 / “Shooting the Youth and the Blessing of the Graduates” collection event, address: CAFA Campus

June 5 / Studio Open Day, content: all professional studios are open to the public

June 5 – June 30 / Sculpture Department Annual Studies Exhibition, address: Channel Gallery of Sculpture Department

June 5 – June 8 / Retrospective of the classic of Agnès Varda's Award, address: Red Chair Lecture Hall

June 5 / Beijing Art Colleges Union Day, Multimedia Conference Room of the Sculpture Department

June 7 / The First “Scholarship of the Youth” Art History and Theory Symposium, address: Auditorium of CAFA Art Museum/ content: representatives of the 2015 graduates of the School of Literature Arts discussing the theses

On the nights of June 8 and June 9 / Graduation drama “CAFA·Peach Blossom Land”, address: Auditorium of the North District

June 8 / Putian City, Fujian Province professional and technical personnel on-site teaching, address: CAFA Campus

June 8 / Intelligent Vehicle Interactive Design Forum 2015, address: Transportation Design Studio at the School of Design

June 10 / Joint Conference for Party Secretaries from the Art Colleges across the Country, address: Lecture Hall of Library

June 11 – June 12 / Graduation Season Open Day, invites all teachers, students and parents from primary and secondary schools in Chaoyang District to watch the graduation exhibition

June 12 – June 13 / International Art Education Academic Seminar “Art Education for the Social Innovation”, address: Auditorium of the CAFA Art Museum

June 12 / Change of the Academy: New Perspective of Art Education – Forum of the Presidents from International Art Colleges and Universities, address: Auditorium of CAFA Art Museum

June 12 / Opening ceremony of “Beijing Visual Art Innovation Center”, address: Auditorium of CAFA Art Museum

June 12 / Establishment Ceremony of the School of Arts Administration and Education, address: Auditorium of CAFA Art Museum

June 12 / The Signing Ceremony for School-Enterprise Strategic Cooperation of CAFA and CITIC Guoan, address: Auditorium of CAFA Art Museum

June 12 / The 7th Image Fiesta Carnival, address: Auditorium of CAFA Art Museum

June 13 and June 18 / A High-end Dialogue, address: Amphitheater

June 13 / Position and Planning: Construction of the “13th Five Years Plan” New Art Educational Pattern: China Artists Association Art Educational Committee Conference, address: VIP room of the CAFA Art Museum

June 14 / Alumni Exchange Day, the alumni will meet leaders of the school, visit to the shows of teaching achievements and there will be a symposium of the representatives of alumni

June 14 / “Four Colleges and Four Tutors” Experimental Teaching Award Ceremony, address: Auditorium of CAFA Art Museum

June 15 / Unveiling ceremony of CAFA Creator Enterpriser Incubator, address: Xuyuan Culture and Art Center

June 15 / “Face to Face” Teacher-Student Interaction and Exchange Activity, content: selection of star teachers and an interaction

June 15 / Campus recruitment for the graduates of the School of Urban Design, address: CAFA Campus

June 15 – June 19 / Carving the Dream, address: Multimedia Meeting Room of the Sculpture Department

June 15 – June 19 / Flea Market, address: Multi-Function Hall Square

June 16 / Graduate Symposium, address: Lecture Hall of Library

June 16 / “Life - Creative Design” seminar, address: Audio-Visual Lecture Hall

June 18 / The 2nd National Art College Philosophy and Social Science Development Forum, address: Auditorium of CAFA Art Museum

June 20 – June 28 / Achievement Exhibition of CAFA to Support the Featured Education of the Primary School, content: the 2015 annual achievement exhibition for CAFA who is in cooperation with the 4 primary schools in the Wangjing area to build a featured aesthetic education

June 25 / Establishment ceremony of Silk Road Arts, Art Research and Innovation Center & Academic Forum, address: Auditorium of the CAFA Art Museum, Lecture Hall of Library

In Mid-June / Performance of the graduate drama by the School of Urban Design, address: the School of Urban Design

June 22 – June 30 / Parting Words by the graduates, address: CAFA Campus

June 30 /  Graduation ceremony, address: Multi-Function Hall Square

June 30 / Degree-granting ceremony, address: Auditorium of North District

June 30 / Shooting graduation photos, address: Campus

Text by Zhang Yanzi, event list translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO

Courtesy of CAFA and all the artists, Photo by Xu Fan/CAFA ART INFO