Since its establishment, the Central Academy of Fine Arts has been a prestigious leader in the trends of developments in Chinese fine arts. An important factor at the heart of this is its strong teaching staff. Being a new force in the development of art academies, the role of young teachers cannot be ignored.

On September 10, 2020, the “New Impetus (First Session): The Reporting Exhibition by CAFA Newly Recruited Teachers in 2020” hosted by the CAFA Development Center of Teachers was unveiled as scheduled in the West Hall of the History Museum of CAFA. The exhibition invites 17 newly recruited young teachers from 11 teaching institutes, including the High School Affiliated to the Central Academy of Fine Arts, to feature more than 30 selected works that represent their highest academic level and individual characteristics from their recent creations.

On the one hand, the exhibition hopes to reflect and present the learning and research process as well as creative thinking of young teachers recruited by CAFA as much as possible; the exhibition also records their mental process used to closely integrate theoretical research and practical creation; on the other hand, it is an intensive review of their future academic planning, in the hope of reflecting the new academic engine they might provide for the future development of CAFA from their creations.

Gao Hong, Party Secretary of CAFA delivered a speech at the opening ceremony

Fan Di’an, President of CAFA, visited the exhibition

Su Xinping, Deputy President of CAFA, visited the exhibition

Jin Rilong, Director for Office of Teachers’ Work and Director for the Personnel Office of CAFA, chaired the opening ceremony

The Opening Ceremony

Guests attended the opening ceremony were: Gao Hong, Secretary of the Party Committee at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Fan Di’an, President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Yang Wenhai, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Xu Yang, Deputy President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Su Xinping, Deputy President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Lyu Pinjing, Deputy President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and Pan Chenghui, assistant to President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Participating young teachers and members from various faculties and departments were present. The opening ceremony was chaired by Jin Rilong, Director for the Office of Teachers’ Work and Director of the Personnel Office of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Exhibition View

In his speech at the opening ceremony for this exhibition, Gao Hong, Party Secretary of CAFA mentioned that on the occasion of the 36th Teacher’s Day, it is of special significance to hold this reporting exhibition for newly recruited teachers in 2020. “New Impetus” implies new hope, and CAFA entrusts high expectations of every new teacher; as in the Yangtze River, the waves behind ride on the ones before, as new waves shoulder an important mission.

“New Impetus” can be interpreted from three directions. First, teachers must have a new motivation to be integrated into a century-old academy. Generations of artists and art educators have inherited excellent culture and academics. Newly recruited teachers have an important mission, which is to inherit the glorious tradition and outstanding culture of CAFA, as General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned in his reply to the eight senior professors from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, “to carry forward the outstanding tradition of patriotism while creating for people with admiration for virtue and art”; the second motivation is to inherit on the basis of heritage, each generation should have their own mission and responsibilities, the new generation of young teachers must open a new chapter in the new history; the third motivation is that every teacher must have a new motivation to grow and become an excellent artist and art educator in this era.

Gao Hong, Party Secretary of CAFA expressed his expectation, “Teachers can see their own creative process from the past, they can sum up the experience of growth, to better fulfill their new mission in new posts, cultivate more outstanding artistic talent for this era, and create more outstanding artworks.”

Dai Yuzhou (from School of Chinese Painting), Twelve Square Seals of Bamboo Root, various size, 2020

 Dai Yuzhou (from School of Chinese Painting), Seal Script of “Zheng Banqiao’s Poems Eulogizing Bamboo”, 273×62cm×4, Ink on bamboo paper, 2020

Du Yingqi (from School of Fine Arts), “Transitions—Statute of Yan Han”, Colored gypsum, 2018

Han Yuhu (from High School Affiliated to CAFA), Calligraphy of Poem by Huang Tingjian, 138×138cm, Ink on paper, 2017

Han Yuhu (from High School Affiliated to CAFA), Calligraphy of Words by Mencius 200×120cm, Ink on paper, 2020

Since its establishment in 2013, the CAFA Development Center of Teachers has held exhibitions featuring teachers’ education and works by new teachers. The original intention of these exhibitions is to build an excellent development platform for teachers, introduce the old and bring forth the new and further contribute to the all-round development of teachers. This exhibition is the first event since the CAFA Development Center of Teachers was merged into the Office of Teachers’ Work (Personnel Department) in 2018. They hope to take this reporting exhibition as an opportunity to hold an exhibition once a year during Teacher’s Day in the future so as to normalize the reporting exhibition for new teachers.

Exhibition View

At the CAFA Teachers’ Conference held on the same day, Fan Di’an, President of CAFA talked about the significance of teachers’ roles in cultivation. He believed that, “At the Central Academy of Fine Arts, we have to pay more attention to whether we can gradually grow into a master in art education. Our first duty is to be a responsible teacher. It also means that we have to accomplish many tasks, among which, ‘building morality, teaching and cultivating students’ is our top priority. At any moment, we must not forget that we are teachers and we must not forget our responsibility. It takes hard work to achieve the goal of the exhibition.” President Fan’s earnest hope is to offer best wishes to every young teacher at the opening ceremony for the exhibition. “Let ‘green peppers’ grow as soon as possible, and let new waves continue to rush!” Finally, we wish them a happy first CAFA Teacher’s Day and hope that they will become the authentic “new impetus” for the Central Academy of Fine Arts in the future.

It is reported that the exhibition will remain on view till October 13.

Text by Yang Zhonghui, translated and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO
Photo by Hu Sichen