Two graduate students from the School of Art Administration and Education, Yang Han and Mao Xueting, showcased their work “Walking by the Stream” at the 2024 CAA Graduation Exhibition, winning the Gold Award. In the interview, the graduates stated that this is an interdisciplinary collaboration. Mao Xueting comes from the Department of Art Education, rich in practical experience, while Yang Han is from the Department of Arts Administration, with strong theoretical knowledge. They hope to demonstrate the advantages of interdisciplinary collaboration through this work.
The theme of the work is “An Art Education Experiment Rooted in China”, exploring the foundations of self-creation and collective education. This concept aligns with the School of School of Art Administration and Education’s idea of establishing a Rural Academy. The ultimate goal is to address the current discrepancies between art education, theoretical knowledge, and practical life. To explore solutions, the two graduates immersed themselves in rural communities as experimental sites because communities are microcosms of social conflicts, encompassing both modern and deeply rooted traditional issues. The creators chose Qianfenxi Village in Ningde City, Fujian Province, as the primary experimental site, creating works, “We Are Each Other’s Limbs” and “One Hundred Thousand Whys of Local Practice”, along with several smaller pieces. These works document their observations, thoughts, and insights during their time in Qianfenxi Village, reflecting their forward-looking, exploratory journey.
The artists’ core working methods include measurement, organization, imagination, and construction. The work “We Are Each Other’s Limbs” starts with a roadmap featuring three keywords: art, community, the transcendence of art, and human subjectivity. Behind the roadmap is a photo wall displaying the content of art projects, daily activities, and planning work, presenting an archival exhibition. Through different interpretations and supplements, the archival presentation shows the materials and traces left by artistic actions, with the title “We Are Each Other’s Limbs” being a personal sentiment, inviting viewers into a freer semantic space.
“One Hundred Thousand Whys of Local Practice” revolves around several core questions: Why do we set out? Why do we pause? How should we respond? This work responds to these questions from a personal perspective, presenting new understandings developed during 13 trips to and from Qianfenxi Village. Currently, there are several major projects in Qianfenxi Village. The creators particularly mentioned the project “Happy Festival”, which focuses on the recreation of traditional village festivals. The two students, combining the community’s traditional festivals with their own understanding and imagination, planned new activities that engaged the villagers, highlighting the village’s characteristics and the villagers’ autonomy.
Yang and Mao position themselves as art workers, breaking the confines of academic knowledge. Instead of intervening with superior knowledge, they aim to integrate with the community, becoming part of it, and stimulating its regenerative power from within. They hope to foster the artistic development of the village, promoting its independent growth.
Walking by the Stream
Artist: Yang Han, Mao Xueting (School ofArt Administration and Education)
Instructor: Chen Zijing, Shan Zeng
