On the evening of May 20, 2024, the 9th NUA "520" Graduation Exhibition Carnival was grandly opened. Co-hosted by Nanjing University of the Arts (NUA) and the People's Government of Gulou District, Nanjing, the carnival unfolded under the theme "Integrating Art and Science, Empowering New Productive Forces". Through the intelligent fusion of art and technology, a distinctive vision of "New Art and Science" development was vividly portrayed. The main venue and the opening ceremony were held at the Urban Central Art (Gulin) Park, a pivotal strategic cooperation project between the two parties.
During the opening ceremony, Gong Yonggang, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, delivered a speech. He mentioned that the NUA "520" Graduation Exhibition Carnival is a grand stage to showcase the educational and talent cultivation achievements of the institution. It provides a platform for NUA students toexhibit their youthful charm and artistic ideals, and stands as a carnival where art embraces the urban landscape and serves the people. The faculty and students of NUA are encouraged to consider their participation in this event as a practical lesson in entering society and serving the people, aiming to produce more down-to-earth, popular, and elegant artistic works. As the host, NUA should carefully organize this event, guide experts, scholars, teachers, students, and people from all social circles and make new contributions to fulfilling the cultural mission of the new era and accelerating the construction of a culturally strong province.
Wang Anwei, Secretary of the CPC Gulou District Committee of Nanjing City, mentioned in his speech that this year's "520" Carnival opening ceremony was jointly hosted by NUA and the People's Government ofDistrict for the first time, marking the first time in nine years that the event has ventured beyond the campus. This initiative also marks the official launch of the construction of the Urban Central Art (Gulin) Park, representing both the long-term collaborative achievements of both parties and the commencement of a deeply integrated new phase. The motto of NUA is "Grandeur, Brevity, Profoundity, and Beauty", while the spirit of Gulou is "Bearing the Weight, Daring to Pioneer", both embodying an unremitting pursuit of progress and beauty. The combination of these two spirits undoubtedly orchestrate an anthem of progress and pave the way for a brighter future. The opening ceremony of this carnival is a lively collaboration between the campus and the park,an enchanting encounter of art in everyday life.
Yu Feng, Secretary of the CPC NUA Committee, emphasized in his speech that this year's carnival marks the first ever"campus-park linkage" between NUA and the Urban Central Art (Gulin) Park, jointly creating an artistic feast for the whole city. This feast, themed "Integrating Art and Science, Empowering New Productive Forces", showcases innovative explorations of "intelligence", artistic pursuits of "beauty", and a development vision of "newness". Yu Feng encouraged students to unleash their youthful spirit and ambitious aspirations, illuminate a more resplendent artistic blossom for the motherland, the people, and the times, and compose a magnificent chapter on the grand stage of building a culturally strong socialist country.
The unveiling ceremony of the Digital Art (Media) Technology Research Institute, the award ceremony of the 1st Global Digital Art Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition "Originating from NUA and Creating Together in Gulou", and the opening ceremony of the 9th NUA "520" Graduation Exhibition Carnival & the launch ceremony of the Urban Central Art Park Construction Project were held.
This year's carnival, with Gulin Park as the debut of the Urban Central Art Park, achieved "campus-park linkage" with NUA for the first time, jointly creating a magnificent artistic feast for the whole city. This feast is a concentrated display of the innovative explorations of "intelligence", including the "Digital Intelligence" host, "Digital Twin" singer, and cross-media design of bio-art, reflecting the fruitful results of NUA's exploration of art and science integration. The feast is a showcase of the artistic pursuit of "beauty", with a primary focus on "perceiving beauty, understanding beauty, and practicing beauty" and the goal to fostera rich atmosphere of humanities and arts by integrating disciplinary resources, creating a window for aesthetic education, and collectively presenting over 60 artistic works. Additionally, the feast is an embodiment of the development vision of "newness", aiming to set a new benchmark for integrated development between the campus and the city, propel the Urban Central Art (Gulin) Park construction project onto the "fast track", and strive to build a landmark ofnew productive forces of culture that showcases the urban humanistic ecological value and alsothe cultural and artistic taste.
