Cross-cultural insights empower Chinese artists to go global

When introducing a piece of ancient porcelain to foreign audiences, it's better not to say its style originated from Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), but rather it reflects the Chinese aesthetics of the era of France's Louis VI.

This shift in narrative was one of the key insights at the Cross-Cultural Arts Exchange and Communication Talent Development Program, supported by the China National Arts Fund. On Nov 23, the program's graduation exhibition was held at the Communication University of China.

Designed and delivered by the university, the program targets a persistent challenge facing Chinese artists seeking a global presence. While many are leaders in their fields domestically, gaps in cross-cultural communication continue to limit their access to international markets.

Wen Chunying, dean of CUC's School of Foreign Languages and Cultures and head of the project, says her motivation stems from personal experience. When speaking with Portuguese people, referencing poet Luis de Camoes instantly bridged cultural distance. "Art has fewer ideological barriers and touches people directly," she says.

Thirty trainees from the fields of design, performance, and exhibition joined the program, which began in June. They received instruction from over 20 experts in cross-cultural communication, arts management, and digital applications, and conducted field research at major cultural institutions. The resulting exhibition features physical works, written displays, multimedia, and interactive installations.

A highlight of the exhibition is an interactive shadow puppet piece created by Han Bing, inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage of Beijing Shadow Puppetry.

Instead of traditional Chinese characters, visitors manipulate puppets shaped like kangaroos, flamingos and koalas — designs inspired by Han's experiences performing in New Zealand and Australia.

She notes that localization has deep historical roots: Chinese shadow puppetry spread to Europe and Asia as early as the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and the poet Goethe (1749-1832) once enjoyed shadow puppetry at his birthday celebration.

Li Keming, founder of a Ru kiln porcelain brand, has collaborated with overseas artists. When a Dutch artist saw Ru kiln porcelain and associated its glaze with the long coastline of the Netherlands, the two sides co-created the Coastline drip-coffee cup.

During training, instructors encouraged Li to use social media more effectively to tell such stories.

Wen hopes that the program is more than just teaching; it helps in fostering collaboration across disciplines. Meanwhile, she sees two strengths in the trainees: a deep passion for art that reflects cultural confidence and strong business mindsets.

"The development of art can not only rely on government subsidies but must find its own market to thrive internationally," she adds.

Bai Shuhao contributed to this story.