Published by: Zhou Wenjun   Edited by: Qin Yu

WUST News (Reporter: Zhou Wenjun) On March 28, the "Maijishan Grottoes Mural Art Exhibition", communication, exchange and promotion project supported by the 2024 China National Arts Fund, inaugurated at the Qinhu Art Museum of WUST. This exhibition is organized by the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Dunhuang Academy, and the Tianshui Municipal government, and co-hosted by the Qinhu Art Museum of WUST and the Maijishan Grottoes Art Research Institute.

Over 200 guests, including Rong Xianming, Editor-in-Chief of the Hubei Channel of People's Daily Online, Editor-in-Chief of the Hubei Branch of CPC News Online, and General Manager of People's Daily Online Hubei Branch; Wang Yuanyuan, Secretary-General of the Hubei Artists Association; Wu Aimin, Chairman of the Trade Union of the Maijishan Grottoes Art Research Institute of the Dunhuang Academy; Yang Xiaodong, Associate Researcher of the Maijishan Grottoes Art Research Institute and Project Leader of the itinerant exhibition, as well as experts, scholars, art lovers, media representatives from both inside and outside Hubei Province, and teachers and students of our university, witnessed the launch of this artistic event. Dou Xianping, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of WUST, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

The Maijishan Grottoes, renowned as the "Oriental Sculpture Museum", are an important relic of the Silk Road civilization, housing a vast array of cultural relics and heritage. The exhibition showcases more than 130 works that Mr. Yang Xiaodong has painstakingly sorted, copied, restored, and created over three decades. These include 46 paper murals, 72 clay board murals, and over 20 kinds of cultural and creative works, such as porcelain board murals. By combining physical exhibits with digital media, the exhibition presents a wealth of masterpieces from the Maijishan Grottoes, which have endured for over 1,600 years.

In her opening speech, Dou Xianping pointed out that this exhibition represents an innovative attempt by WUST to integrate "technology + aesthetic education". It not only enriches the spiritual world of teachers and students but also paves a new way for the dissemination of traditional culture. As one of the Four Great Grottoes of China, the Maijishan Grottoes are an artistic treasure on the Silk Road. The mural art, which caries a thousand-year-old historical heritage, makes this exhibition not only a vivid reappearance of traditional culture but also an important practice in strengthening cultural self-confidence.

Yang Xiaodong introduced that the itinerant exhibition project is planned to be held in several cities, including Beijing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Hefei. Wuhan serves as the third stop of this itinerant exhibition, after Beijing and Hangzhou. This itinerant exhibition of grotto mural replicas, through the exploration and display of the root of Chinese painting art, elevates the murals, with its beauty of cultural relics and art, to a deep concern and tracing of the ideological, cultural, and spiritual world of our ancestors.

"When the thousand-year-old treasures meet modern creativity, cultural self-confidence subtly emerges in every smile and brushstroke." Wang Yuanyuan said the team, led by Mr. Yang Xiaodong, had used their exquisite skills to breathe new life into the thousand-year-old murals with their exquisite skills, ingeniously integrating traditional aesthetics into the contemporary cultural context. As a result, the ancient grotto art has regained its luster in the new era and greatly promoted the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture.

Guan Jiaqing, Dean of the School of Art and Design, said that this exhibition is not only a footnote to the project of exploring the origins of Chinese civilization,depicting the cultural integration of the Silk Road in an artistic language, but also an innovative example of how universities serve society, reflecting the deep integration of scientific research and humanistic care. It is also a living classroom for strengthening cultural confidence, allowing young students to understand the Chinese spirit while appreciating beauty.

At the exhibition site, the audience was deeply attracted by these exquisite wall paintings. The thin-skin sculpture murals of the Maijishan Grottoes became the focus of attention. This art form, which ingeniously combines clay sculpture and painting techniques, vividly portrays the expressions of Buddhist figures, and brings them to life. In addition, the exhibition ingeniously integrates traditional display methods with modern technology. Through means such as animated stories, the audience can have an immersive experience and fully appreciate the outstanding mural art of the Maijishan Grottoes. Many viewers have said that the exhibition has given them a deeper understanding of the mural art of the Maijishan Grottoes and made them feel the profoundness of traditional Chinese culture.

Yormir, a freshman at WUST from Xinjiang, said, "I once visited the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves in Turpan. I never expected to see murals on campus. It's really spectacular!" "Oriental Smile · An Little Arhat" is his favorite work. "I love the mixing of colors in the mural. I often indulge in the feeling of beauty!" He also sent pictures of the murals to his friends, inviting them to enjoy this "feast of beauty".

Wang Yuran, a sophomore from the School of Mechanical Engineering at WUST and a native of Tianshui, was moved to tears when she learned about the itinerant exhibition. "I feel that the charm of our remote cities has been recognized, and my distant hometown seems to meet me again at school." She said that the cultural heritage of the Maijishan Grottoes is deeply rooted in the hearts of every Tianshui native. Her father even uses a picture of the grottoes as his WeChat avatar. After seeing the exhibition pictures shared by his daughter, he exclaimed, "The exhibition at the school is excellent. It not only allows students from other places to feel the warmth of their hometown culture but also provides a new way to spread excellent traditional culture."

It is reported that the exhibition will run until 20 April and is free of charge to all teachers, students, and the public. Viewers can scan the QR code attached to each work to access relevant information about the work. They can also scan the QR code of the digital VR exhibition hall on the exhibition poster for an immersive experience.