大家论艺 Convenes in Chengdu: Experts Explore New Missions for ArtisticCriticism
Chengdu, China – On October 29th,the second Everyone Discusses Art (大家论艺) Arts Criticism Conference convened in Chengdu, bringing together leading arts critics and scholars from Sichuan, Chongqing, and Gansu provinces. The event, hosted by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism Development, aimed toestablish a platform for professional, open, and inclusive academic exchange.
The conference aimed to leverage the collective expertise of Sichuan and Chongqing’s arts criticism community, fostering resource sharing and collaborative efforts. The goal was to explore new missions, responsibilities, and pathways for arts criticism in the new era, injecting fresh vitality and momentum into the field.
The event kicked off with presentations from representatives of Sichuan’s universities, including Wei Wei, Executive Dean of the Film Schoolat Sichuan Media College, Hu Tingting, Associate Researcher at Sichuan University’s School of Arts, Gong Yuanlei, Deputy Director of the Drama and Film Directing Department at Sichuan Normal University’s School of Film and Media, and Li Ming, Director of the Research and Disciplinary Development Office and Associate Professor at the School ofMusic at West China Normal University.
Hu Tingting highlighted the significant progress made in the professional standards of arts criticism at Sichuan University, alongside the successful cultivation of comprehensive artistic talents. She emphasized the university’s commitment to integrating arts criticism with technological innovation, ideological and political education, and other relevant areas, ultimately forging adistinctive path for arts criticism within the context of a comprehensive university.
The conference then transitioned to a series of insightful presentations by prominent figures in the field. Zhou Qi, Director of the Gansu Provincial Institute of Culture and Arts, delivered a thought-provoking speech titled The Phenomenon of ‘Academicization’ and Non-Professionalism in Arts Criticism. He argued that the prevalent academicization of arts criticism, rooted in Western discourse, often distances it from the expression of popular sentiment. Zhou Qi asserted that the current focus on publishing in prestigious academic journals (C-journals) has become a source of pride for many critics, potentially undermining thebroader reach and impact of their work.
Bai Hao, Secretary-General of the Sichuan Provincial Arts Critics Association, outlined the association’s Three Places and One Brand development strategy, while Guo Yong, Researcher at the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Arts, explored the distinctive role of historical and biographical criticism in contemporary stage artcreation. Guo Yuxiu, a master’s supervisor at Southwest Petroleum University, presented a paper titled Leading the Flourishing Development of Sichuan Drama with Marxist Artistic Thought.
These presentations provided a diverse range of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing arts criticism in China. The discussions highlighted the need for a more balanced approachthat combines academic rigor with accessibility and relevance to a wider audience. As the conference concluded, participants left with a renewed sense of purpose and a shared commitment to advancing the field of arts criticism in the years to come.
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