The Department of Public Art was found in 2002, as the first established public art teaching research institute, it aims to build teaching system for merging art and humanity, modeling and design, traditional and contemporary, public art theory research and creations in the background of public art. The ultimate goal is cultivating advanced talents with contemporary public art spirit and capacity for public art creation and design.

Now it has four studios and four labs: public sculpture studio, space of places art studio, landscape installation art studio, art projects and technique studio; molding lab, mechanical constructional installation lab, program controlling, visual art, light media lab, mixed media and video media. The key concept of the Department of Public Art is using the language of science expressed in space. This constitutes a new direction for leading edge artists and arts educators in China. The Department is dedicated to the creation of a new oriental aesthetic spirit and a re-exploration of creative responses to the connection between China’s urban and rural environment.

The Department of Public Art has consistently achieved outstanding results by transcending traditional boundaries and developing a fusion of art, science and technology. It is developing new ways of exploring the innovative use of time and space in the art of the public sphere. It is leading the field in developing public art as a viable professional discipline with a richly humanistic spirit.