Chongqing - On Dec 3, the series of open classes launched by the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts of the Public Art, “Scene of Urban Regeneration in Chongqing,” was held online.
During the three-hour public class, Dai Ling, chairman of Chongqing Urban Renewal Planning Academic Committee, Zhang Zhenfei, executive director of Chongqing Fuhui Culture and Art Research Institute, and Zhang Jiuhe, project director of Chongqing Shifang Art Center, shared the urban renewal cases they planned or participated in. It allowed experts, scholars, and students to experience the new urban renewal trends. The class attracted nearly 300 people to watch and interact.
Dai Ling shared the video exhibition “Chongqing Urban Development Trilogy” curated by her, namely the stories behind “Goodbye Shibati,” “Hello Hualong Bridge,” and “Forever Chaotianmen.” She said that human growth is like climbing stairs, one step after another. The same goes for the organic renewal of cities. During the years of exploration, she has increasingly felt that art has a unique impetus to urban renewal.
One detail she shared was moving. The “Goodbye Shibati (an old street in Chongqing, literally means eighteen steps in Chinese)” video exhibition held at the Chongqing Art Museum has laid out a red carpet, inviting the locals of the 18 Steps to visit and feel the changes of their homes. “Many locals shed tears when they watched the exhibition and lingered because they felt that they were the exhibition’s guests and the contributors of urban development, and the city remembered them.” Dai Ling said, you respect them, and they, in turn, respect you. It is an important reason for the smooth progress of Shibati old street’s urban renewal.
The audience watched the “Goodbye 18 Steps” exhibition. (Photo provided to iChongqing)
“Hello, Hualong Bridge” was also invited to exhibit at the Lianzhou International Photo Festival. To better play the role of images in urban renewal and historical and cultural inheritance, this year, Chongqing established the Chongqing Historical Image and Oral History Research Center. Dai Ling said that "we are not only porters of history and culture but also researchers and inheritors of history and culture. Video art has great potential for urban renewal."
“In the work of urban renewal, Dai Ling’s team used art to inject new content into urban renewal and let us see the infinite possibilities of public art,” said Shu Ying, an associate professor at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Precious old images are presented in the “Forever Chaotianmen” exhibition. (Photo provided to iChongqing)
Zhang Zhenfei and Zhang Jiuhe are from Anhui and Shandong provinces, respectively, but both experts have devoted much effort to Chongqing’s urban renewal.
Zhang Zhenfei introduced that to tell the stories of the streets and alleys in the Yuzhong district, his team is editing a popular book on street culture in Yuzhong District with the support of the Chongqing History Research Association and the Yuzhong District People’s Political Consultative Conference. Readers will learn about the little-known stories deep in the streets. He believes that culture should be presented in multiple dimensions. In addition to editing popular books, he can create a cultural design project and establish a community art stack in each street to make the streets more vibrant and dynamic.
After listening to the sharing of the three experts, Chen Wei, a professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning of Chongqing University, said that how to protect the historical context and retain regional characteristics in urban development has become the focus of the industry.
“By integrating social resources, using art, design, management resources, and other aspects to stimulate residents’ enthusiasm for participation, we can promote the city's steady and long-term organic renewal and make our society more harmonious,” said Chen.
Critic Feng Daqing also believes that public art has more robust vitality and possibilities. However, urban renewal cannot be a testing ground for designers and artists, but must fully listen to residents’ voices. “We should not only pursue efficiency but pay more attention to the significance of the long-term and sustainable development of the community and the city,” Feng said.