The Fine Arts Department delivers the shared first-year foundation curriculum for students pursuing studio-based disciplines at the China Academy of Art. Bringing together studio practice, critical inquiry, and the study of artistic traditions, the programme provides a strong foundation for students progressing to the Schools of Painting, Sculpture and Public Art, Art Administration and Education, Intermedia Art, and Crafts, as well as specialist pathways in Oil Painting, Printmaking, Mural Painting, Integrated Painting, Sculpture, Intermedia Art, Art Education, and Photography.
The programme is designed to cultivate perceptual awareness, cultural understanding, and creative expression. Structured around five interconnected capacities—perception, observation, interpretation, expression, and creation—it guides students through a progressive learning journey that combines the study of artistic traditions, studio-based practice, field research, and independent creative exploration. Throughout the programme, students are encouraged to develop an open artistic perspective, critical thinking, and an informed understanding of the relationship between art, society, tradition, and contemporary culture.
Curriculum
The curriculum is organised around four interconnected themes: perceiving the world, understanding tradition, observing contemporary life, and creative expression. It integrates studio practice, humanities, and experiential learning to establish a comprehensive foundation for future study in the visual arts.
Core courses include Drawing, Colour, Visual Form and Composition, Foundations of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, and Social Practice.
Drawing and Colour strengthen observational skills, visual perception, and artistic expression through life drawing, studio practice, and experimental approaches to making.
Foundations of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy introduces students to the aesthetic principles and visual traditions of Chinese art while encouraging them to consider how these traditions can inform contemporary creative practice.
Visual Form and Composition develops students' understanding of visual organisation, composition, and formal expression, enabling them to communicate ideas through increasingly sophisticated visual strategies.
Social Practice extends learning beyond the studio by encouraging students to engage directly with communities and everyday life through observation, research, and creative practice. The course fosters artistic inquiry grounded in lived experience and social awareness.
In addition to studio teaching, the programme incorporates public lectures, interdisciplinary workshops, and end-of-semester exhibitions, creating an open learning environment that values experimentation, collaboration, and research-led practice.
