Chongqing, Manchester Have Imagination on Art Collaboration | Insights

Chongqing - On December 1st, Joe Duffy, Head of International Affairs at the School of Digital Arts of the Manchester Metropolitan University,  shared his expertise on "What is Digital Media Art," along with insightful case analyses from the field of digital media art at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in Chongqing. The event attracted over a hundred enthusiastic students who actively engaged in the session.

On December 1st, Joe Duffy, Head of International Affairs at the School of Digital Arts of the Manchester Metropolitan University,  shared his expertise at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in Chongqing. (Photo/Deng Yan)

"The key thing that I would like people to take away from this session is the importance of memory and observation. There are so many things in life that we walk past and take for granted, but once we look at them, we'll see amazing possibilities to develop artworks that lead to great stories," said Joe.

Joe's artistic practice involves simulation and emerging technologies centered around mobile images, screens, sign-making, mapping, and storytelling. Joe employs narrative to convey embedded stories of traumatic landscapes and explores the immersive sensory potential of experiencing and encountering local places. During the lecture, students actively engaged in interactive discussions.

On December 1st, during the lecture, students actively engaged in interactive discussions. (Photo/Deng Yan)

"If you're creating a space, even if a virtual space, the best place to start from is the world around us or the world of your imagination. Try to find different ways to manifest that into the real world so you can make something interesting from it," said Joe during the lecture.

Joe talks this way and, at the same time, does so. He came to Chongqing yesterday, and to build his own impression of this city, Joe took the Yangtze River Cableway eight times in one day. He highlighted the significance of observing the city from different perspectives, both day and night, to capture its vibrant energy and unique atmosphere.

"I want to look at Chongqing from different directions to see different city perspectives. It's a very different sense of the city at night when the lights are on, the buildings look different, and people come out and do different kinds of social activities," said Joe.

Regarding the potential for cultural exchange between Chongqing and the UK, Joe shared that the opportunities are various for students from Chongqing and Manchester. He mentioned collaborative online international learning projects, where students from both cities can work together on short-term projects and exhibit the outcomes in Chongqing or Manchester.

Additionally, Joe proposed the possibility of students visiting Manchester to study, even at the master's degree level, fostering a deeper understanding and exchange of artistic ideas.

"I think there's a lot of things we can share and lots of similarities and lots we can discuss," concluded Joe, highlighting the vibrant and energetic artistic scenes in both Chongqing and Manchester, emphasizing the potential for fruitful collaboration between the two cities.