Fan Di'an Photo: Courtesy of the Chengdu Biennale

The relationship between an art biennale and its host city is something that art scholars and critics have long hoped to figure out so as to better explore more possibilities for further development. To this end, the ongoing Chengdu Biennale, one of the largest art events hosted in Southwest China in 2021, is hosting the symposium Innovations: Art of The City. 

According to biennale organizers, the seminar is a review and explanation of the academic theme and cultural significance of the Chengdu Biennale in Sichuan Province, as well as a review and interpretation of the relationship between the Biennale and Chengdu's urban development.

Fan Di'an, chief curator of the 2021 Chengdu Biennale, also chairman of China Artists Association and president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, said on Wednesday that the biennial exhibition mainly focuses on three dimensions: the relationship between the biennale and the city where it is held; the relationship between the biennale and the development of local art; and the relationship between the biennale and global art. 

According to Fan, the main theme Super Fusion was proposed to show the convergence and fusion of different artistic concepts, forms, and artistic expressions as well as symbolizing the vitality and prosperity created by the interaction between contemporary artistic creation and urban cultural characteristics. The Chengdu Biennale has acted as a broad international art exchange platform rich with content, showing Chengdu's cultural vision to the world.

Following Fan, a number of artists and scholars also shared their opinions on the topic. Ji Shaofeng, director of the Hubei Art Museum, gave a speech entitled "Public Art in Symbiosis with the City" about the relationship between human beings, art, nature and cities, and how to elicit a global consensus through ecological art. 

Zhang Zikang, director of the CAFA Art Museum, gave a speech entitled "Museum Construction and Urban Image Shaping," in which he explained art from the perspective of public culture and art museums as the beginning of urban innovation and a means to promote urban development. 

Besides the different exhibitions, the biennale will also launch academic events and public education lectures to get more people involved in the art event.