Home: From Tradition to Modernity: 2003 Shanghai Art Exhibition. Design Art Exhibition

Author: Shanghai Artists Association
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: "The 2003 Shanghai Art Exhibition · Design Art Exhibition" stepped beyond the realm of pure art and expanded into the field of design art, establishing the theme "Home – From Tradition to Modernity," which garnered significant attention and acclaim. The selection of this theme itself reflects a cultural attitude, and it can be seen as a beneficial attempt in contemporary art, as it signifies the organizers' and creators' concern and awareness of the cultural direction of design art in China. Faced with the assimilation, neglect, and disregard of Chinese living culture and folk art design, the reality of Chinese-identified design art "leaving home," the organizers aimed to explore and exchange this creative endeavor by choosing "home" as a medium. Unlike previous design art exhibitions, what distinguished this one was not only its clear theme but also the following features: First, the primary creative force of the exhibition consisted of faculty and students from 17 design art universities across the nation, while also attracting experienced designers from the society to participate; second, the exhibition did not remain at the level of design alone but primarily used spatial creation and physical displays as its main forms, making it vivid, dynamic, and visually engaging; third, in addition to theoretical discussions, the exhibition also featured a display of literature on "home." This structure and approach determined the exhibition's emphasis on both exploration and academic rigor. This exhibition showcased 76 works, including 28 integrated design works, 46 series design works, and 2 multimedia design works, all selected from over 200 submitted design proposals from across the country. These works reflected their cultural lineage from China's traditional heritage while incorporating contemporary aesthetic tastes, home fashion, and concepts of creation, proposing ideas for the construction of "home" from various perspectives such as concept, ethics, functionality, materials, and environmental sustainability. Among them, Shandong College of Art and Design had four works selected, including "Door · Door God" by Pan Lusheng, Hu Xijia, Wu Jun, Shao Limin, and Wang Ruiqing; "Four Generations Under One Roof · Three-Headed Family · SOHO Home · Single Elite" by Shao Limin, Hu Xijia, Ding Ning, Li Wenhua, and Li Yude; "Untitled A" by Li Wenhua; and "Home · Household Goods · Home Decor" by Tang Jialu and Li Jiaxuan (sponsored by Zhufeng Craftsmanship Co., Ltd.). The literature section provides a concise overview of the history of "home" design in China, encompassing the "home" of legends, the "home" of thought, the "home" of historical sites, the "home" of texts, and the "home" of novels, condensed from 600,000 words and 1,500 images. It is richly illustrated and contains substantial theoretical and academic content. The spatial environment created by the exhibition is both rich and novel, as well as diverse in type.