William Paterson University Successfully Held the 5th Chinese-American Art Faculty Symposium

On the afternoon of November 9th, Professor Zhiyuan Cong, Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chinese-American Art Faculty Association, and Director of the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University, along with Dr. Wartyna Davis, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at William Paterson University, jointly hosted the opening ceremony of the "New Trends, New Journeys: The 5th Chinese- American Art Faculty Symposium" and the 10th-anniversary celebration of the establishment of the Chinese-American Art Faculty Association. Dr. Joshua B. Powers, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs of William Paterson University, delivered the opening address, congratulating the successful convening of the conference and celebrating the association's 10th anniversary. He expressed sincere thanks to Ms. Jiyuan Shang, Cultural Counselor of the Consulate General of China in New York, and Consuls Zhixian Wang and Henglong Zhang, as well as professors from various American universities who participated in the symposium. Dr. Powers highly praised the bridge built between Eastern and Western cultures and the dissemination of artistic education by the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University and the Chinese American Art Faculty Association (CAAFA). Dr. Powers also looked back particularly fondly on his family and deep ties to China, where his great-step-grandfather General Homer Lea served as Dr. Sun Yat-sen's chief military adviser.

Counselor Jiyuan Shang, on behalf of the Consulate General of China in New York, and Consul General Huang Ping, congratulated the successful convening of the conference and extended heartfelt congratulations on the 10th anniversary of the CAAFA. She emphasized the need to strengthen the understanding between the Chinese and American people in the current new situation, considering this academic conference, art center, and faculty association as the best platforms for exchange and connection. Wei Dong, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CAAFA and Professor of the University of Wisconsin, presented a report. He introduced the association, which was established in 2013 as the first group of Chinese people in the history of Chinese art to stand on the podium of Western higher art education. He summarized the efforts and contributions made by the association over the past ten years in promoting Sino-American artistic exchange. He also expressed special thanks to past committee chairs, Professors Zhiyuan Cong, Jiawei Gong, and Zhenggu Yu.

Subsequently, the keynote speech of the conference was chaired by Professor Yunxue Fu from Tisch School of the Arts, the New York University, and Dr. Natasha Chuk, a media theorist and professor at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, delivered a special lecture on "Art in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." Dean Davis concluded the conference, stating that the aim was to examine the opportunities and challenges brought by new technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI), and to grasp the new trends in social development. She emphasized the need to stay at the forefront of academic and educational exchanges, starting a new journey in the exchange of Eastern and Western cultures.

The symposium was jointly organized by the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University, the University's Art Department, the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and the Chinese-American Art Faculty Association (CAAFA). The conference took place from November 8th to 11th, featuring four symposiums. In addition to the keynote speech, professors from 24 universities across the United States presented lectures in various visual arts disciplines to showcase their creative works and research achievements. Their presentations reflected the role of disseminating the spirit of Eastern culture in Western mainstream culture and leading Chinese art to the forefront of international trends. Particularly noteworthy were the exploration and innovation of art professors in the field of AI, where they not only popularized basic knowledge of AI but also demonstrated their talent in artistic creation and imagination through AI. The lectures and discussions, hosted by Professor Qian Li from Cleveland State University, Professor Zhimin Guan from Minnesota State University, Professor Yan Sun from Muskingum University in Ohio, Professor Lawrence Yun from California State University, and Professor Peili Wang from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, were all equally exciting. The participants unanimously said that this meeting was very beneficial and great.

On the evening of November 10th, Professor Cong, on behalf of the Board of Directors, presided over the sixth election of the CAAFA. The representatives of the conference unanimously thanked Mrs. Margaret Lam, Mr. David Yen, and Mr. Lyusheng Chen, former Deputy Director of National Museum of China, for their long-term service as honorary chairpersons and directors of the association. They expressed gratitude for their long-term support, donations, and participation in the Center for Chinese Art and CAAFA, and collectively signed their sincerest greetings to them! The representatives highly praised the achievements and contributions of the fifth executive committee under the chairmanship of Professor Dong and elected the sixth executive committee under the chairmanship of Professor Zhimin Guan. The newly elected committee professors unanimously stated, "We are all beneficiaries of the exchange of Eastern and Western cultures. If we have the ability and opportunity to contribute to this cause, we will undoubtedly avoid historical criticism and abandonment. We are willing to continue the development of the Chinese American Art Faculty Association and make more efforts for the dissemination of Eastern and Western cultures and education!"

11/08/23