Report Recap | Guangxi Art Academy of Design Reports on Asia Design Week Activities

On November 18, 2023, the inaugural China-ASEAN Design Innovation and Development Forum was held at the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center in Nanning, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China. The forum was guided by the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region's Department of Industry and Information Technology and organized by the Teaching Guidance Committee for Design Majors in Higher Education Institutions of Guangxi, the Asia Design Week Committee, the Guangxi Innovation Design Week Committee, the Guangxi Art Academy of Design, the Guangxi Artists Association Design Art Committee, and the Guangxi Creative Industry Association. Esteemed international and domestic professors, design school faculty and students, and other members of society participated in the event.

The forum aimed to foster deep cooperation in the design field between China and ASEAN countries, promoting mutual benefits and shared development. It aimed to establish a platform for cultural exchange and collaboration in design, enhancing cooperation in design education, research innovation, and more between China and ASEAN nations, ultimately building a China-ASEAN Design Community.

At the inauguration of the 2023 'On the Ground & Innovation: China -   ASEAN Design Innovation and Development Forum,' Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Wang Wen Tong, Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, Chair of the International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Green Technology, and Stanford University's World's Top 2% Scientists for 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, and International Chairman of Asia Design Week, along with Wang Hualin, a member of the Teaching Guidance Committee for Design Majors in Undergraduate Institutions of China's Ministry of Education, Chair of the Teaching Guidance Committee for Design Majors in Guangxi's Higher Education Institutions, and Dean of the Guangxi Art Academy of Design, delivered speeches. They emphasized the significance of design innovation in economic development and cultural exchange, expressing their commitment to strengthening cooperation and exchange between China and ASEAN countries in the design domain.

During the launch, Mr. Zhang Zhongan, a Standing Director of the China Stage Art Society and a Chinese opera figure painter, presented a calligraphy piece, "Yuan" (meaning "fate" or "connection"), to Chairman Wang Wen Tong. The artwork symbolizes the intergenerational transmission of cultures across nations, the integration and mutual promotion of designs, and the shared appreciation of creativity among countries.

△ Dean Wang Hualin's Speech

Subsequently, the inauguration of the Asian Emerging Art and Culture Fund, the Creative ASEAN City Design Alliance, and the launch ceremony for the 2024 Asia Emerging Art and Design Competition, as well as the Creative ASEAN Design Competition, took place. Mr. Wang Wen Tong, International Chairman of Asia Design Week, presented the Asia Design Week Committee with a plaque and issued appointment certificates. This signifies a new phase in the collaboration between China and ASEAN countries in the design field, providing increased support and assistance for deeper cooperation.

The 2023 Asia Emerging Art and Design Exchange Exhibition received submissions from nearly 100 institutions across 16 countries worldwide. The organizing committee awarded the "Best Organization Award" to teams such as Macau University of Science and Technology, University of Malaya, Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University, China Academy of Art, China-EU International Design Culture Association, World Green Design Organization Green Design Research Institute, Beijing Design Society, Royal College of Art, and Guangxi Rabbit Culture Media Co., Ltd.

During the keynote speeches, experts and scholars shared their research findings and insights.

△ Academician Zhang Wen Tong's Keynote Speech

Professor Zhang Wen Tong, a professor at the University of Malaya, doctoral supervisor, and Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, delivered a keynote speech titled "Innovative Green Design in Research and Product Development." He shared a case study on his team's research on wind power generation systems, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of traditional horizontal and vertical axis wind turbines. The main advantage is their efficient and environmentally friendly production of electricity, but the drawback is their limited kinetic energy storage due to a single direction of motion. In response, Academician Zhang led his team to innovate and redesign wind turbines for land-based applications, creating a new cross-flow turbine that can harness and utilize wind energy from multiple directions. The design is modular for easy installation and maintenance, and it incorporates a technology structure that withstands the rigors of offshore wind conditions, successfully demonstrating green energy product design.

△ Professor Cheng Chaohui's Keynote Speech

Professor Cheng Chaohui, the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice Dean of the Innovation Design College at the China Academy of Art, and doctoral supervisor, spoke on "Asian Games, Aesthetics, and Urban Image." He discussed the core graphic design of the Hangzhou Asian Games and its inspiration, drawing from Hangzhou's role as the starting point of the Silk Road. The design concept evolved from flowing ribbons symbolizing silk, which in turn formed abstract landscapes. It was divided into three aspects: the image of the image, harmony of the realm, and the mystery of the image. The theme "Nourishing" interpreted the poetic essence of the core graphics, embodying a gentle and pervasive spirit. Cheng Chaohui explained how the core graphics were applied in public art, visual identity, and night scene creation, showcasing the beauty of Hangzhou to the world.

△ Professor Lv Xi's Keynote Speech

Professor Lv Xi, the Dean of the Design College at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, a doctoral graduate, and doctoral supervisor, spoke on "Cultural Creativity, Digital Intelligence, and Social Responsibility." He started by discussing how "data has become a basic material," "media has become an extension of action," and "technology has become a collaborator in creativity." He then delved into "exploring value and meaning in design" and shared insights on "digital humanities, design forms, and social responsibility" across various service scenarios and design explorations. Professor Lv Xi illustrated the integration of design and science through specific projects, emphasizing the kindness and responsibility in interdisciplinary design contexts.

△ Professor Qin Jingyan's Keynote Speech

Professor Qin Jingyan, a Tenured Professor under the "Changjiang Scholars Program" of the Ministry of Education and Deputy Dean of the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute at Beijing University of Science and Technology, spoke on "Metaverse Meta-Design and Sustainable Development Considerations." She discussed how artificial intelligence has disrupted education and how, despite technological advancements, our thinking has not kept pace. Qin Jingyan introduced the seven missions of intelligent innovation design from a technology ethics perspective, exploring the boundaries of AI, big data, virtual reality, and the metaverse, as well as their impact on the digital economy and human ethics. She proposed principles for appreciating the aesthetics of technology and showcased 17 new goals for sustainable digital ecology under the metaverse, along with corresponding meta-design methods.

△ Professor Ye Youtian's Keynote Speech

Professor Ye Youtian, from Hubei Institute of Fine Arts and a doctoral supervisor at Kolej Universiti New Era (Malaysia), a red visual artist, spoke on "Once Crossed: Practice Thinking in Sustainable Creation." He discussed interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and integrative disciplines, emphasizing the importance of true integration and the need to break down barriers between disciplines. Professor Ye also presented innovative methods of using AI technology to assist in animation creation, demonstrating the seamless fusion of AI and animation. His engaging and humorous presentation conveyed his passion for red visual art, Chinese animation, and indigenous Chinese culture.

△ Professor Zhang Yangen's Keynote Speech

Professor Zhang Yangen from Guangxi Art Academy delivered a speech titled "Conversing with the World through Art," sharing his experiences creating and exhibiting in five continents and his thoughts on art and design education. He emphasized the importance of using the principles of beauty to create and endow meaning, and how art transcends boundaries. Art, he argued, is a universal language that can both delight and enlighten. Artists should strive to create a shared artistic language that reflects humanity's diversity and fosters a new civilization. Zhang Yangen highlighted the interconnectedness of art, design, and their role in fostering dialogue, reflection, and shaping the future. He concluded by expressing his hope that art and design would create more possibilities in our lives.

△ Roundtable Discussion Session

The forum concluded with a roundtable discussion, where the professors engaged in more in-depth questions and answers based on their presentations. This allowed the audience to gain a clearer understanding of the importance of incorporating social and humanistic aspects in the design process, the responsibility designers have to bear, and the need for sustainable development in design.

△ Design School Faculty and Students Attend the Lecture

The objective of this forum was to facilitate communication and collaboration among experts from various disciplines, promoting cross-disciplinary thinking to tackle complex challenges in sustainable design. It aimed to draw wisdom from diverse experiences, spark innovation, and collectively address cutting-edge issues in sustainable design, ultimately contributing viable solutions for a more sustainable future. By hosting this forum, the design school not only fostered deep communication and collaboration with design experts but also offered valuable insights and inspiration for the school's specialized education and academic development.

△ Photo of Event

Screenshot of the Report