On October 26, 2024, the exhibition titled The Great Sculpture Series: 90 Years of the Sculpture Discipline at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), hosted by CAFA and organized by the CAFA Sculpture Department and CAFA Art Museum, officially opened. This exhibition systematically reviews and reflects on the 90-year journey of CAFA’s Sculpture Department, from its inception in 1934 to the present day, highlighting its growth from solid foundations to diversity, from self-awareness to academic consciousness. A significant number of classic works embodying "contemporary relevance," "people’s values," and "national identity" are showcased, which capture the essence of the nation’s spirit, express the Chinese era, and depict the beauty of people’s lives. Generations of CAFA artists have used sculpture to record the country’s development, commemorate national struggles, and mirror the spirit of social change, thereby contributing to the glorious legacy of the Sculpture Department over the past 90 years.

Opening Ceremony

Zhu Di, a member of the Party Group of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Vice Chairperson and Secretary of the Secretariat, announced the opening of The Great Sculpture Series: 90 Years of the Sculpture Discipline at CAFA exhibition. The ceremony featured remarks by Jin Shangyi, Honorary President of the China Artists Association and former President of CAFA, as well as Wu Weishan, Director of the National Art Museum of China. Video messages were delivered by Fan Di’an, Chair of the China Artists Association and former President of CAFA, and Sheng Yang, former Party Secretary of CAFA. Lin Mao, President of CAFA, and Zhang Wei, Head of the Sculpture Department, delivered welcome and thank-you speeches, respectively.

At the opening ceremony, Xu Yang, Party Secretary of CAFA, Lin Mao, President of CAFA, and Su Xinping, Chair of the Academic Committee, presented the “Outstanding Contribution Award for 90 Years of the Sculpture Discipline” to artists and representatives of their families. Geng Yanbo received the “Special Contribution Award for 90 Years of the Sculpture Discipline.”

The event was attended by members of CAFA’s leadership team, leaders of other art institutions, representatives of art institutions, artist guests, veterans of the CAFA Sculpture Department, students and alumni of the Sculpture Department, and family representatives.

Opening Remarks

Lin Mao summarized the exhibition with two descriptors: “What a magnificent ‘Great Sculpture Series’!” and “What a grand ‘sculpture performance’!” He emphasized that generations of sculptors have built a comprehensive academic system and nurtured the spirit of sculpture, transmitting nearly a century of cultural lineage. This exhibition allows us to understand the responsibilities of the new era’s sculptors, who should educate young students with deep affection and create enduring masterpieces that reflect the beauty of the world. Lin encouraged the new generation of artists and students to inherit and carry forward this legacy with strength and vigor.

Wu Weishan noted that the exhibition is grounded in the 90-year academic heritage of CAFA’s Sculpture Department and represents a brilliant chapter in the development of modern Chinese art. He praised the department for combining historical and revolutionary traditions, embodying a unique spirit through its works, and hoped that more masterpieces would be preserved in museums for future generations.

In a video message, Fan Di’an highlighted that the exhibition embodies the rich traditions of CAFA’s sculpture teaching, creation, and research. He emphasized that the most valuable experience in the development of modern Chinese sculpture is to keep pace with the times. He hopes the exhibition will provide an exemplary model for CAFA’s teaching and creation, contributing to China’s high-quality art education and the construction of a culturally powerful nation.

Jin Shangyi expressed that although sculpture is sometimes slower in development than other fields like painting, it possesses unmatched weight and depth. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, CAFA’s Sculpture Department has undertaken large public sculpture projects, such as the Monument to the People’s Heroes. He believes the exhibition is an opportunity to reexamine the beauty of sculpture and its volumetric form, deepening CAFA’s expertise and laying a foundation for Chinese sculpture to shine on the world stage.

Award Ceremony

The CAFA Sculpture Department, with a 90-year history, has produced many outstanding teachers and cultivated numerous talents, making a significant contribution to modern Chinese sculpture. At the opening ceremony, the “Outstanding Contribution Award for 90 Years of the Sculpture Discipline” and the “Special Contribution Award for 90 Years of the Sculpture Discipline” were presented.

Zhang Wei’s Closing Remarks

Zhang Wei, the exhibition curator and Head of the Sculpture Department, expressed that organizing the exhibition, which took more than ten months to prepare, was a challenging yet rewarding process. Through collective effort, the rich historical materials of the Sculpture Department have been presented, recording the 90-year history of the department in detail. He noted that the exhibition is structured around 38 key themes to unveil the historical issues behind sculpture and to establish a substantial "sculpture history," strengthening the discipline’s sense of belonging, direction, and mission.

The exhibition will run until November 24, 2024, on the third floor of the CAFA Art Museum.