On the morning of July 4, Professor Chen Xiangbing, Deputy Director of the Division of Arts and Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Design at Shenzhen University, led a delegation to conduct a research visit to the Shenzhen Art Museum (New Building). They also attended the strategic cooperation signing ceremony between the Art and Technology Cross-Border Innovation Laboratory and the museum. The delegation was received by Wang Xinni, Deputy Director (in charge) of the Shenzhen Art Museum, and Wang Zirong, Deputy Director. Other attendees included Wang Xin, Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Design; Zhang Yi, Head of the Department of Creative Planning and Design Management; Che Da, Head of the Art and Technology Cross-Border Innovation Laboratory; Chen Bin, Associate Professor; Shi Tiezhu, Associate Professor; Qin Jingxia, Director of the Academic Research Department at the Shenzhen Art Museum; You Jiang, Director of the Public Education Department; Li Yuanyuan, Director of the Collection Department; Wang Zhi, Deputy Director of the Collection Department; and Luo Huiling, Researcher at the Academic Research Department, along with other departmental heads and project leaders. After the meeting, the Art and Technology Cross-Border Innovation Laboratory at Shenzhen University and the Shenzhen Art Museum signed a strategic cooperation agreement.

Deputy Director Wang Xinni warmly welcomed Dean Chen Xiangbing and his delegation, introducing the overall situation of the new Shenzhen Art Museum. As the first major cultural facility to be completed in Shenzhen's "New Era Major Cultural Infrastructure" initiative, the museum carries the mission of further promoting Shenzhen as a global regional cultural center. This partnership with Division of Arts SZU aims to combine the strengths of both institutions to transform the Shenzhen Art Museum into a world-class, large-scale, comprehensive art museum that integrates an exhibition and exchange center for the Greater Bay Area’s art, a public cultural service platform, a research base for Chinese art, and a hub for the integration of art and technology.

Dean Chen Xiangbing introduced theDivision of Arts SZU, discussing its teaching, research, and disciplinary development. He emphasized the school’s academic and talent advantages and expressed hope that, by leveraging the Shenzhen Art Museum’s resources in exhibition, collection, research, public education, and cultural creation, both sides could jointly cultivate artistic talent, preserve local culture, and create a model of museum-university cooperation in the Special Economic Zone, achieving mutual benefits and a win-win outcome. Che Da, Director of the Art and Technology Cross-Border Innovation Laboratory, introduced the laboratory's basic situation, research directions, early achievements, and development goals. The two parties conducted in-depth discussions on potential cooperation areas.

Following the meeting, Che Da, the laboratory director, and Wang Xinni, the deputy director of Shenzhen Art Museum, formally signed the strategic cooperation agreement. According to the agreement, the cooperation will focus on four main areas: First, exploring creative research cooperation in two directions: general education in aesthetic education for university students and the digitalization and preservation of museum collections, including but not limited to technology, content, and products applied in the fields of art and education; Second, jointly organizing art exhibitions, academic lectures, and conferences on popular topics such as design, culture, art, and cross-border integration of technology; Third, jointly launching a public art education program, developing art education course packages for young people combining online and offline methods, virtual reality, and experimental practices to promote aesthetic education; Fourth, conducting experimental research and development cooperation on the research and preservation of artworks.

After the signing ceremony, Deputy Director Wang Xinni and Collection Department Director Li Yuanyuan guided the delegation through the 2024 National Art Museum Collection Exhibition Season “Preserving Memory — Shenzhen Art Museum's Masterpieces Collection Exhibition”. Shenzhen Art Museum has accumulated a large collection of calligraphy and painting over nearly half a century, showcasing its deep ties with national art masters and reflecting its social influence as a cultural window of reform and opening-up. The ongoing exhibition "This Is Not a Ruin — Contemporary Art Exhibition by Ying Tianqi" spans a long time and features diverse forms, leaving a strong visual impact and making a lasting impression on the research delegation.

Division of Arts SZU

Art and Technology Cross-Border Innovation Laboratory

July 9, 2024