On the evening of June 23, the China Academy of Art held its 2026 Commencement Ceremony at the Xiangshan Campus. There, 2,672 graduates stood together in academic robes—a solemn assembly, marking with grace and gravity the closing chapter of years spent bent over desks, immersed in the pursuit of knowledge and creation.
The ceremony, held at Xiangshan Campus, was attended by Shen Hao, Party Secretary of the China Academy of Art; Yu Xuhong, President of the Academy; Xu Jiang, Chairman of the Academic Committee; members of the Academy's Party and Administrative Leadership Team—Fu Qiaoling, Han Xu, Chen Yujie, Xia Wenli, Feng Zhiguo, Gong Wei, Chen Zhengda, and Han Liang; as well as members of the Academic Committee and the Degree Committee, heads of academic schools and administrative departments, all 2026 graduating students, and their families. The commencement was presided over by Fu Qiaoling, Deputy Party Secretary of the Academy.
The video alumni tribute and the 2026 graduates' theme film brought the entire graduating class into a realm of warmth and emotion, evoking cherished memories of the China Academy of Art. At 19:28, the commencement ceremony officially commenced with the resounding and majestic strains of the Chinese national anthem.
In his heartfelt address to the graduates, Shen Hao quoted a classical Chinese text:
"Great beauty is inherent in heaven and earth yet speaks not; the four seasons follow their clear order yet debate not." He noted that the graduates, having devoted years to pursuing knowledge and artistic inquiry at the Academy, are now poised to spread their wings like the legendary roc—"soaring ninety thousand miles on a mighty whirlwind, riding the endless gale to traverse the infinite." Just over twenty days ago, the call for the "Grand Tour" was sounded, and thousands of brilliant works of art illuminated Hangzhou, making the city even more radiant with creativity.
The essence of art lies in following the ways of nature to liberate the mind. Yet life passes as swiftly as a white steed galloping past a crack. May you always cultivate a tranquil and open heart through simplicity and equanimity, shedding all artifice and cunning, devoting yourselves to sincere learning and deep contemplation. Embrace the vastness of heaven and earth, draw inspiration from mountains and rivers—see the universe through brush and ink, and perceive your true self through color. With a childlike heart, capture the genuine essence of nature; carry forward the spirit of "all things and I are one." Rooted in tradition, gazing upon the great landscape, and embracing the spirit of the times, may you roam freely across the boundless wilderness of art, "appreciating the beauty of heaven and earth, and comprehending the principles of all things." May your journey ahead be grand and boundless, and may your path stretch far and wide!
President Yu Xuhong delivered a commencement address entitled "Human Beings with Warmth in the Age of AI". He noted that the China Academy of Art adheres to its long-established blueprint, upholding the educational philosophy of the "Four Connections" and pursuing the strategy of "dual-driven globalization and localization, and the two-way integration of humanities and technology." The Academy focuses on two core missions: "integrating art and technology to drive new quality productive forces, and bridging China and the world to contribute to global art history." The Academy recently presented "University as a Realm of Vision – The 20th Anniversary of CAA's Quest for World-Class Status," and has consistently reported on its institutional progress in response to the Provincial Party Committee's call to "reach new peaks in the arts and serve as a cultural beacon." The Xiangshan Campus—often celebrated as the nation's most beautiful university grounds—is the "humanistic landscape and spiritual home" of the CAA community. Now the largest art academy in the world with the most comprehensive disciplinary structure, CAA has nurtured its students to reach across the globe—and in doing so, has made itself visible to the world through their achievements.
Yu Xuhong noted that the "Grand Tour" 2026 Graduation Exhibition had transformed the entire city of Hangzhou into a vast museum and a flowing stage. Graduation works circulated widely across social media platforms, making the exhibition a resounding, phenomenal cultural event. He elaborated on the meaning of "Grand Tour" from three perspectives:
Firstly, the Grand Tour is a dialogue that inquires into youth within the Academy's century-old intellectual heritage. The China Academy of Art, with its enduring legacy, is committed to cultivating "Renaissance figures for a new era." The classroom at CAA extends beyond the lecture hall to the very sites where dialogue with history and resonance with the world take place—from "The Radiance of Song Dynasty Culture" to "The Infinite Way," from "The Perfect Path" to "Black Myth: Wukong" and the Venice Biennale, and then to the "2026 International Youth Art Dialogue." These exhibitions and events bear witness to how Chinese art—rooted in tradition yet embracing innovation, and integrating art and technology—shines on the world stage. They have not only deepened the students' connection to the profound cultural lineage that "melds the ancient with the contemporary," but also cultivated in them the broad vision to "bridge China and the world."
Secondly, the Grand Tour is a journey that preserves the warmth of creation amid the rapid advance of technology. The more technology evolves, the more the true value of art becomes evident. An artist's work carries unique sensibilities and the distinct individuality of each creator. As technology progresses, the need for human warmth and empathy grows ever more critical. AI may generate poetry, yet it lacks "aura" and poetic spirit; we must keep the freedom and energy of creation in our own hands. The more technology advances, the more indispensable art becomes as a pillar of human expression. The Academy emphasizes the parallel evolution of "two AIs"—artistic intelligence and artificial intelligence. AI offers new possibilities, but it can never replace the most fundamental human needs and love—those that originate from the very core of our being.
Thirdly, the Grand Tour is a commitment to staying true to the original aspirations of art amid the uncertainties of the future. We live in an age of uncertainty. On the road ahead, you may encounter confusion, hesitation, pain, hardship, or even despair. I hope you will always remember the original aspirations that first drew you to art. Hangzhou remains an ever-present artistic site, lingering deep in your hearts. Art focuses on the tender stirrings within the human soul—empathy, sensibility, observation, and aesthetic judgment—all of which ultimately converge into creativity. May you dream as boundlessly as the sky and work as steadfastly as the earth. I am confident that you will grow through struggle, break through in moments of pain, and find happiness in transcendence.
Led by former President Xu Jiang and President Yu Xuhong, all graduates raised their right arms across their chests, gently held the golden tassels of their mortarboards, and chanted in unison: "CAA is the most beautiful!" and "Fight for art!"—before tossing the tassels backward with a sweeping motion. This toss is an act of courage—a fearless charge toward the future. This cast-off carries with it the century-old artistic ideals of the China Academy of Art, reaching toward the vastness of mountains and seas, and the distant horizons beyond.
Faculty representative Liu Yihong, Associate Dean of the School of Visual Communication, reflected that exactly 20 years have passed since her own undergraduate graduation from CAA in 2006—enough time to constitute a generational gap with her students. This generation of youth, she observed, has been equipped with the latest memory systems, perceptual systems, and collaborative systems—they are the newest version of humanity. Life, she emphasized, is always broader than any identity; one must invent one's own work and declare one's life's purpose through creativity and love. She noted that once a work leaves its creator, it enters a wider world. The meaning of creation has never been mere self-expression; rather, we are called to encounter divergent perspectives and listen to unfamiliar voices through our work. The "Grand Tour," she said, is about reclaiming the ability to write one's own story—breaking free from being constantly scanned, defined, and recommended by algorithms. This year's graduation season visual identity team created a horizontal-scrolling game world—a shared childhood gaming experience for many. In such games, the world gradually reveals itself through repeated running, jumping, falling, and restarting. The most thrilling moment in gaming is never reaching the finish line, but suddenly discovering that beyond the map lies a mist—and mist is never an obstacle; it means that beyond this world, there are more worlds yet to explore.
Chen Pengfan, the graduate representative from the School of Intermedia Art, expressed his deep gratitude to his professors and fellow students. He noted that the Academy's century-old artistic heritage and its open, inclusive academic environment have provided students with boundless creative soil. His four years of study, he said, were a spiritual journey—one of continuous inward cultivation and outward exploration of the boundaries of art. He observed that artificial intelligence and digital technologies represent a core theme in the development of art in the new era, embodying the Academy's educational philosophy of "inclusiveness and preservation, upholding tradition while embracing innovation." The humanistic reflection, artistic consciousness, and critical spirit that algorithms cannot replicate are the very foundation that empowers CAA students to navigate the digital tide while staying true to the essence of art. Looking back on his four years at the Academy, he reflected that his alma mater had endowed him with the most valuable gift: independent judgment in an age of turmoil, the patience to explore unresolved questions, and the courage to keep asking—a gift of lasting weight and significance.
Zhou Jiguang, the graduate representative from Italy and a student of the School of Art Administration and Education, shared that her artistic life has been shaped by both the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples and the China Academy of Art. At CAA, she gained a broad vision that embraces both the present and the future, and came to truly understand the unique philosophical core of Chinese art—the pursuit of harmony between heaven and humanity. In the face of technological transformation and the complexities of the international environment, she noted that the Academy's scholarly philosophy and its pioneering explorations across media and disciplines hold the key to bridging the divides between Chinese and Western artistic paradigms. By deeply integrating "art, technology, and society," and using cutting-edge languages to reconstruct contemporary narratives, the Academy has charted an important path toward activating local cultural creativity and enhancing the capacity for civilizational dialogue. She concluded that CAA graduates should embrace interdisciplinary thinking and a global vision, establish their cultural coordinates in the mutual exchange and learning between China and the West, perceive life through the power of art, respond to the call of the era, and work together toward the Academy's grand goal of building itself into a "world-class art institution."
Alumni representative Chen Yijia, co-founder of the brand CoFANCY, shared her journey over the decade since graduating from CAA. She observed that creation and business share the same essence—observation, inquiry, understanding, and creation—and that she had never truly left art behind, even after venturing into cross-disciplinary entrepreneurship. In an era of rapid AI advancement, she stated, aesthetics, creativity, imagination, and a unique perception of the world are becoming ever more irreplaceably human—and these are precisely the spiritual gifts that CAA has bestowed upon every student. She advised graduates not to rush in defining their boundaries, for those moments that seem like detours and deviations from the original path will reveal their meaning in hindsight—every step is worthwhile. She likened the post-graduation exploration to an "Odyssey period," encouraging graduates to find themselves through confusion and trial and error, and to discover their direction even when straying off course. She observed that artistic creation need not be confined to the studio, but should extend into technology, business, healthcare, education—any field imaginable—and that one's major should never define the limits of one's possibilities. She expressed her hope that when graduates return to their alma mater ten years from now, they will find themselves to have become more than they could have ever imagined—and as they look back on the starting point of their own Odyssey, they will feel that every step was worthwhile, and be grateful for the courage they had to set out in the first place.
Party Secretary Shen Hao and President Yu Xuhong presented the 2026 Graduation Creation (Design) Mentorship Award to faculty members: Lin Jieqing, Jin Yangping, Shi Bing, Wu Qiong, Yan An, Zhou Yuanyang, Wang Chen, Cai Wenchao, Li Tong, Li Zenglone, Yu Jin, Gao Lu, Olivier Greder (Lu Wei), Wang Jianwei, Xiang Yi, Wang Yun, Lan Youli, and Shu Huai.
Gowns billowing and tassels swaying, the graduating class drew a beautiful and fitting close to their years of passionate dedication at CAA. Henceforth, as "CAAers," they shall hold fast to the Academy's guiding spirit—"Fortitude, Reverence, Integration, Transcendence"—and keep alive the burning conviction to "Fight for Art." May they ride the tides and chase the light, carrying forward the brilliant legacy that belongs to all who bear the name of CAA.
