On September 8, Carla Cugini, Chairwoman of the Ludwig Foundation, and Andreas Schmid, curator and artist, accompanied by Chen Ping, former Minister-Counselor for Cultural Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Germany, visited the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). The delegation held discussions on China-Germany art exchange, international art collections, and future cooperation. Yu Yang, Vice President of CAFA; Wang Chuan, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange; Jin Jun, Director of the CAFA Art Museum; and Kong Liang, Head of the Department of Printmaking, among others, attended the meeting.

Yu Yang welcomed Carla Cugini and her delegation and introduced CAFA’s recent developments in international exchange, art exhibitions, academic research, and collaboration with international art resources. He noted that CAFA has a long-standing tradition of openness and international engagement, maintaining close and enduring exchanges with German art institutions, artists, and academic communities. Looking ahead, CAFA will further expand the breadth and depth of international artistic exchange and promote deeper cooperation between China and Germany in areas including art education, exhibition and research, and artist exchanges.

Carla Cugini introduced the Ludwig Foundation’s international collection system and global network of partnerships. Over the years, the Foundation has established extensive connections with museums and art institutions around the world through collecting, donations, loans of artworks, exhibitions, and academic exchange. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Peter and Irene Ludwig’s donation of international artworks to the National Art Museum of China. She noted that the visit provided her with a deeper understanding of CAFA’s work in education, artistic creation, exhibitions, and research, while also enhancing her understanding of the development of contemporary Chinese art and its broader artistic ecosystem.

Andreas Schmid reflected on his long-standing connection with CAFA and contemporary Chinese art. He noted that since his first visit to CAFA in the 1980s, he has continued to follow and participate in artistic and cultural exchanges between China and Germany.

Chen Ping reviewed the history of Peter and Irene Ludwig’s visits to China and their related art collection projects. He noted that their visits enabled the couple to gain a deeper understanding of the artistic practices of Chinese artists and represented an important chapter in the history of artistic exchange between China and Germany.

The artistic ties between CAFA and the Ludwig Foundation date back more than three decades. In 1995, renowned German art collectors Peter and Irene Ludwig visited China and came to CAFA, where they developed a strong interest in the artistic practices of faculty members in the Department of Printmaking and acquired a number of their works. This marked the beginning of an artistic connection between the two sides.

The visit served both as a reflection on and continuation of their long-standing artistic exchange, while also creating new opportunities for further cooperation in the future.