Shanghai art hub unveiled in Yunnan to boost heritage, innovation
Students and teachers of the Shanghai Art & Design Academy give art lessons to children in Banli Village.
A local art academy has launched an education and innovation station in a remote village in China's southwest Yunnan Province, marking a milestone in Shanghai's commitment to heritage preservation and rural revitalization.
The Shanghai Art & Design Academy initiated the Rural Revitalization Practice Base and Intangible Cultural Heritage Workstation in the Banli Village in Lancang County of Yunnan's Pu'er City.
The pioneering initiative seeks to revive fading traditions and nurture a vibrant hub of creativity, where the intricate fabric of intangible cultural heritage intertwines with the captivating visions of modern design, according to the academy.
The effort under the umbrella of the Shanghai-Yunnan Collaboration campaign has received high praise from Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng, who led a delegation to inspect Shanghai's assistance to Yunnan's rural revitalization last week.
The station will contribute to the revival of traditional crafts, the development of vocational education and the provision of voluntary services.
The innovative products designed by students and teachers of the Shanghai Art & Design Academy are based on the traditional patterns on the costumes of the Lahu ethnic group.
Notably, the academy's partnership with Lancang County, home to the Lahu ethnic group, has integrated local intangible cultural heritage into student graduation designs and provided free online courses to the Lancang Vocational Senior High School.
During the visit, Gong was impressed by the visual designs created by the academy's Product Design School, featuring unique Lahu ethnic intellectual property characters and cultural products from Banli Village. These designs, with completed copyright applications, will soon enter the market to benefit the local community.
The academy also organized a fashion show by elementary and middle school students from the Banli Village, showcasing their self-designed ethnic-style T-shirts.
Faculty and students will deliver lessons in paper-cutting, music and scratch art to enrich the summer experience for the children.
The academy aims to not only contribute to rural revitalization, but also enhance cultural confidence through the integration of traditional arts and modern design concepts, according to the academy.
Students and teachers of the Shanghai Art & Design Academy give art lessons to children in Banli Village.
