On the morning of February 12, the Artists’ Spirit  exhibition and thematic symposium by the People's Fine Arts Publishing House was held in Beijing, with more than 70 representatives of outstanding artists, art universities, literary and art critics, and media from all over China. President Zhang Linghao was invited to attend and address at the event.

The Artists’ Spirit - Excellent Artists' Works Exhibition and Chuanshen • Rixin - Young Artists' Works Exhibition present the products of the Discovering Excellent Artists series of activities of the House in 2022. Over 150 pieces of fine works were in display by 10 outstanding artists and 66 young artists, aiming to show the contemporary appearance of Chinese art and the artists' spirit.

The symposium witnessed in-depth discussion around the theme of artists’ spirit among artists and scholars. In Zhang Linghao’s speech, he introduced the history of Nanjing University of the Arts (NUA) and the abundant achievements of different disciplines in recent years to the government leaders, artists and media attending the event. He expressed that an outstanding artist should root in China's excellent traditional culture, shape a contemporary vision, care for reality-based themes, and focus on personal artistic cultivation. Explaining the term of artists’ spirit can set a benchmark for the majority of artists, help to better understand the style of excellent artists under the requirements of the new era, and at the same time provide a platform for artists to connect, share and learn from each other.

Among the artists participating in this exhibition, Guan Jun, President of the School of Calligraphy of the China Academy of Art, and Mu Jiashan, researcher of the China Academy of Art, are alumni of the fine arts discipline of NUA. The discipline, originated from the Shanghai Academy of Art founded by Mr. Liu Haisu in 1912, has formed profound schooling heritages, delivered fruitful schooling results, and cultivated a large number of excellent art talents in the following 111 years. It has recently taken the initiative to meet the new requirements for art talents in the new era, consolidate the discipline foundation, strengthen the awareness of quality arts, innovate the concept of education, and improve the educational mechanism, and will continue to cultivate excellent talents for socialist cultural construction. (Party Office)