The exploration of metaverse, the fast evolution of artificial intelligence, the advancements of synthetic biology, and the expansion of space technologies give a perception that human beings can do anything. The pace of human progress seems to quicken toward a future of neo-human or post-human potentialities. In the midst of the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and life sciences, new materials and substances are altering the trajectory of our world. How can we grasp and navigate the surreal dichotomy between the cutting-edge and the obsolete, the sublime and the bleak, the formidable and the fragile, in our everyday existence?
On June 1, the Fourth Zhijiang International Youth Art Festival, themed "Vital Force", kicked off. In 2022, over 2,500 students graduated from the China Academy of Art, including 1,757 undergraduates, 631 masters, and 87 doctoral students. Students in 50 programs at 17 CAA departments or schools took part in the event, which was held both offline at ten venues in Zhejiang Province and online with 13 universities, based on the graduation exhibition/concert of CAA and Zhejiang Conservatory of Music. In the exhibition area of approximately 50,000 sqm, over 3,000 works from more than 5,000 young artists, designers, writers, and scholars were showcased. It was a city-wide show of youthful creativity.
"Life" is a deeply nuanced term, encompassing both the technical realm of human civilization and the poetic essence of the infinite. It is then unfurled within the realm of the mundane, made manifest through the intimate greetings of those in our immediate surroundings. "Vital Force" embodies the potency and dynamism of life in its concrete reality, serving as a conscious call to humanity's capacity and sagacity to confront the pivotal juncture amidst the pandemic. "Vital Force" forms the bedrock of all knowledge, thought, and artistic creation throughout the ages, infusing them with profound substance and vivacity. "Vitality" signifies the impulse and vigor of beings, while "Force" evokes the power of action and creation in the world.
