The World’s Communities: New Definitions, New Collectives, and New Directions in Contemporary Art

The University of Chicago Center in Beijing
20th floor, Culture Plaza
No. 59A Zhong Guan Cun Street
Haidian District Beijing 100872

As the exhibition “Yangdeng Art Cooperative in Guizhou” enters its final phase, the University of Chicago Center in Beijing hosted a spectacular event on April 15 to discuss and celebrate the inspiration of the Yangdeng Art Cooperative on contemporary art with special guests.

The event, titled “The World’s Communities: New Definitions, New Collectives, and New Directions in Contemporary Art”, attracted thirty attendees, including artists, scholars, and art enthusiasts, to examine how grassroots art initiatives reshape communities.

The discussion and Q&A session were moderated by Dr. Ge Zening, Executive Director of the UChicago Center in Beijing. During the event, numerous artists discussed Yangdeng Art, a rural contemporary art form that originated in Yangdeng Town, a small town in Guizhou Province. Artists shared their reflections and insights on Yangdeng Art, its collaborative projects, and innovative approaches to integrate contemporary art practices with rural traditions. The event also featured a pre-recorded presentation and an engaging live Q&A session, giving the audience a glimpse of the exhibition preparation process.

At the end of the event, participants visited the art exhibition at the center, which was followed by a buffet reception, enabling them to build deeper connections and exchange ideas about the artworks. This event underscored the transformative power of art in redefining communities and offered fresh perspectives on contemporary artistic practice in China. The combination of academic discussion and immersive art experience created a dynamic platform for cross-disciplinary dialogue, further bridging the gap between theoretical research and creative practice in the field of rural contemporary art. As always, the support and coordination of the center played a pivotal role in the event’s success.