Celebration for the Grand Opening of the Shanghai William Chinese Art Foundation


06/12/2014, 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Shanghai International Conference Center, Conference Hall 5th Floors, Shanghai

Organizers

Shanghai William China Arts Foundation, Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University

Sponsors

Shanghai Leci Pension Enterprise Management Co., Ltd.; Shanghai WY Real Estate Co., Ltd.; Nantong Weipeng Shipping Project Co., Ltd.

Acknowledgements

National Museum of China; Shanghai LIU Haisu Art Museum, Nanjing Arts Institute, William Paterson University, and Chinese American Art Faculty Association

Celebration for the Grand Opening of the Shanghai William Chinese Art Foundation

Master of Ceremonies: Ching Yiu, President of the EMBA Alumna Association of Shanghai Jiaotong University
Interpreter: Li Peng, Foundation Deputy Secretary General
Remarks: Zhipeng Ding, Chair of the Shanghai William China Arts Foundation Shengzhan Ding, Vice Chair, introduce members of the organization
Remarks: President Kathleen Waldron, WPUNJ
Remarks: Mr. Feng Zhang, Mayor of Bencha City, Rudong County, Jiangsu

William Chinese Art Foundation will financially support the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University to introduce Chinese culture and art, to help students understand the essence and characteristics of Chinese art, to promote cultural and artistic exchange, and enhance understanding between the American and the Chinese people.

Remarks by Dr. Kathleen Waldron, President of William Paterson University

It is a great honor to be here to formalize the relationship established between the Shanghai William Chinese Foundation and William Paterson University. Your generous support and commitment to the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University will enable the Center to expand its programs of inviting important Chinese artists to the United States for exhibitions, lectures, class visits, and interaction with our faculty and 11,000 students.

The Center for Chinese Art was established on September 9, 2009 under the directorship of Professor Zhiyuan Cong, through the generous contributions from Margaret Lam and David Yen. The Center has hosted many world-renowned artists, including Xiaoyang Yang, President at the China National Academy of Painting; Weishan Wu, President of the Academy of Chinese Sculpture; Xiaofu Yu, Dean of Fine Arts College of Shanghai Normal University and a well-known Chinese contemporary painter; visiting artists from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, National Printmaking College and Shanghai LIU Haisu Art Museum of China for exhibitions and symposiums on master drawings, printmaking, Chinese opera painting and many others.

We are so grateful to our new generous benefactors and partners, Ms. Ching Yiu, Mr. Zhipeng Ding, Mr. Shengzhan Ding, and the Shanghai William Chinese Art Foundation. Through your commitment we will be able to provide more programs and continue to invite important Chinese artists to share their knowledge and culture with our students, faculty, and community.

We look forward to many years of successful collaboration in promoting Chinese art and culture through knowledge, international awareness, and through our celebrated faculty and visiting artists.

Remarks by Zhipeng Ding, Chair of the Shanghai William China Arts Foundation

Dear President Kathleen Waldron, ladies and gentlemen: Good afternoon! This is a day of celebration. Everyone here can witness the Grand Opening Ceremony of the Shanghai William Chinese Art Foundation, in this world-famous Shanghai International Convention Center at the bank of the Huangpu River under the beautiful Oriental Perl Tower. On behalf of the Shanghai William Chinese Art Foundation, I truly appreciate your coming, which brings energy and honor to our ceremony.

Two years ago, I met Professor Zhiyuan Cong in Rudong. His art skills and personality greatly impressed me. Since Professor Zhiyuan Cong had made great progress in promoting Chinese art and culture in the U.S., we started to explore the feasibility of working together, in order to develop the intercultural and art communication between China and the U.S.

Last year, we had several in-depth conversations in Shanghai with many friends, including Mr. Hakman Wing and President Ching Yiu, and Chairman Xilong Xu. We all agreed that the establishment of the first Center for Chinese Art in the U.S., which was created by Professor Zhiyuan Cong, is crucial and valuable.

My brother Shengzhan Ding's family and I visited William Paterson University and the Center for Chinese Art this spring. We were deeply impressed by the efforts and achievements of the Center, as well as the leadership of Professor Zhiyuan Cong. Moreover, Professor Zhiyuan Cong's efforts are highly valued by the University President Kathleen Waldron, the professors, and students alike. With the help of Chinese Consulate General in New York and the local community, the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University has significant influence in the greater New York area and even in the USA.

Since the whole society contributes to the development of our enterprise, it is our responsibility to give back to the society. There is an old Chinese saying: “A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives away roses.” The Shanghai William Chinese Art Foundation is able to raise funds for the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University in order to promote Chinese art and culture.

We believe that we can do our best for the development of Chinese art, as well as the cultural exchanges between the two countries, and it is definitely an honor for us to do so. We also hope that our efforts will affect more entrepreneurs to support Chinese art, and the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University will surely build a better tomorrow.

Collision and Confluence: Symposium on Sino-U.S. Arts Exchange

Moderators: Zhiyuan Cong, Director, Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University; Lyusheng Chen, Vice President, National Art Museum of China

The symposium invites university presidents, deans, museum curators, professors, and artists to explore the Sino-U.S. art exchange experience, to provide a platform for the art exchange, and to enhance mutual understanding between the Chinese and the American people.

Panelists:
Jianqin Feng, Chairmen of Lacquer Painting Committee, National Artists Association, former Vice Chairman of Jiangsu CPPCC, former President of Nanjing Arts Institute
Jialing Chen, Professor, Shanghai University Master of Chinese Painting
Qi Chen, Vice President and Secretary General of Shanghai Artists Association
Daryl Joseph Moore, Dean of the College of the Arts and Communication, William Paterson University
Xiaofu Yu, Dean of Arts College, Shanghai Normal University
Jian Zhang, Director of Shanghai LIU Haisu Art Museum
Zhimin Guan, Professor, Minnesota State University, Chair of Academic Committee, Chinese American Art Faculty Association
Lei Li, Deputy Director of Shanghai Art Museum
Gu Xiao, Dean of Shanghai Painting and Sculpture Institute
Rong Kang, Dean of Nantong Chinese Painting Calligraphy Institute

06/11/14