The press conference for the 2015 event Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China, held in New York
At 10:30 on February 10 (New York Time), the press conference for the 2015 “Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China” was held in the Lincoln Center. This press conference was jointly held by the Central Academy of Fine Arts and the American Chinese Culture Association, and greatly supported by well-known local cultural institutions, such as the New York Philharmonic of the Lincoln Center, the Museum of the New York Historical Society, the New York National Dance Company, the Committee of 100 and the China Institute.
Ms. Yang Xuelan, hosted the press conference
The press conference was hosted by Ms. Yang Xuelan. Mr Yu Ding, General Planner of the series of activities for “Fantastic Art China” and Professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, made an overall introduction to activities, and introduced participating artists and their works. Mr. Huang Jiancheng, General Designer of the activities for “Fantastic Art China” and Professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, introduced the design and application of the visual identification system for “Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China”, the light installation on the Empire State Building, and the design of the large-scale fireworks show. As a partner of “Fantastic Art China” held by the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Bill Thomas, Chief Operations Officer of the New York Philharmonic of the Lincoln Center, Alice Stevenson, Chairwoman of the New York Historical Society, and James Heimowitz, Chairman of the China Institute, made speeches and Mr Wu Zhao, Cultural Consul of the Chinese Consulate General in New York, introduced the overall program of the 2015 “Happy Chinese New Year” in New York.
Prof. Yu Ding, General Planner of “Fantastic Art China” made an overall introduction to the activities
Nearly 30 English and Chinese media institutions attended the press conference in New York, and several Chinese radio stations and Chinese TV stations conducted special interviews on the activities. American stations from domestic mainstream news sources, such as the Xinha News Agency and the Chinese News Service, held special interviews with the General Planner and the General Designer of this event.
Prof. Yu Ding, introduced participant artists and their works
In one week, the opening ceremony for a series of events included in the 2015 event “Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China”, jointly undertaken by the Ministry of Culture and the Central Academy of Fines Arts, will be held at the Lincoln Center on February 17 (New York Time), and December 30 (Beijing Time) of the Lunar Calendar. .The Fireworks Show will be held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York. The Public Arts Exhibition at the Lincoln Center, the Lighting Ceremony of the Empire State Building, and the Large-scale Chinese New Year Fireworks Show will be held in New York over the same period. Nearly 300 persons will participate in the Opening Ceremony of “Fantastic Art China” and the after-party. We will invite guests from mainstream society of America, hoping that Americans will learn about Chinese arts and Chinese culture through contemporary artistic works. As stated by Professor Yu Ding from the Central Academy of Fines Arts in an interview, the Central Academy of Fine Arts has participated in planning large-scale activities for Happy Chinese New Year for the first time, and has transmitted traditional Chinese culture through contemporary art, hoping to introduce Chinese culture gradually to mainstream society of America in a manner understandable by Americans.
Bill Thomas, Chief Operations Officer of the New York Philharmonic of the Lincoln Center,gave a speech
As of this year, the Municipal Government of New York will pass official legislation and make Chinese New Year a public holiday. During Chinese New Year, schools in New York will be on holiday. Therefore, more Americans will celebrate Chinese New Year. Another highlight of “Fantastic Art China” is the Chinese New Year Fireworks Show on the Hudson River in New York, which will be the first large-scale fireworks show in celebration of Chinese New Year in the history of New York, and also in America’s 300-year history. As stated by Professor Yu Ding, this will be an epoch-making event and the Hudson River Fireworks Show shall be made a regular activity during of Chinese New Year in New York, so that Americans can experience and become familiar with Chinese traditional culture during Chinese New Year. As introduced by related personnel, it is very difficult to apply for fireworks show licenses and permits. Fireworks shows on the Hudson River in New York are organized only on the Independence Day of America (July 4); however, permits for this fireworks show were obtained from several different authorities in a short time. On the one hand, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, as a planner and organizer, is cooperating with Grucci, an American fireworks enterprise with a 100-year history; on the other hand, each department of the New York Government pays high attention and great support to the Chinese New Year.
Alice Stevenson, Chairwoman of the New York Historical Society, made a speech
In addition, news came after the press conference, that the Empire State Building had officially approved a design plan for balcony lighting, submitted by the Central Academic of Fine Arts, and that related lights were under urgent production. On February 17, Zhang Qiyue, the Chinese Consul General in New York, will be present for the lighting ceremony of the Empire State Building in celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Mr. Huang Jiancheng, General Designer of the activities for “Fantastic Art China”, introduced the design and application of the visual identification system for “Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China”, the light installation on the Empire State Building, and the design of the large-scale fireworks show
The Central Academy of Fine Arts plays a leading role in the press conference held in the Lincoln Center, and more news about “Happy New Year•Fantastic Art China” in 2015 will appear successively in the mainstream media of America. From 4:30 p.m. on February 17, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, as host, will receive important guests from each cultural and artistic institution of New York. The Central Academy of Fine Arts, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary, is making another important step towards high internationalization. Just ten days ago, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, under the witness of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, signed the Framework Agreement for a Chinese and French Art and Design Management School with French Premier Valls. It is a common ideal and target of teachers and students of the Central Academy of Fine Arts to become a first-class academy of fine arts in the world on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. As stated by Professor Yu Ding in the press conference, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, as a top academy of fine arts in China, not only fosters artists and designers, but also participates in global artistic activities and cultural dialogues. He has said that the Central Academy of Fine Arts is changing from a participant, to an active planner and organizer of international artistic activities, believing that the Central Academy of Fine Arts will play an important role in global artistic development.
Mr. Huang Jiancheng, General Designer of the activities for “Fantastic Art China”, made a speech
James Heimowitz, Chairman of the China Institute, made a speech
Mr Wu Zhao, Cultural Consul of the Chinese Consulate General in New York, introduced the overall program of the 2015 “Happy Chinese New Year” in New York
Images from the press conference