On November 15, 2025, students enrolled in the CCM2123 Past to Present State of Arts in Cultural Industries and CCM2113 Event Planning and Management courses visited Zhuhai Guyuan Art Museum under the guidance of Culture, Creativity and Management’s Associate Professor Dr. Purrie Pui-Yee NG and Teaching Assistant Ms. Yao XIAO.

Named in honor of Guyuan (1919-1996), an outstanding Chinese people’s artist and art educator, Zhuhai Guyuan Art Museum is the first municipal art museum in Zhuhai. As a public welfare cultural institution, it offers free admission to the public. Guyuan once served as the 4th President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Artists Association, and Honorary Chairman of the Chinese Printmakers Association. The renowned artist XU Beihong praised him as "an extraordinary genius in the Chinese art world".

When the students encountered Guyuan’s print works from different periods, the images seemed to form a thread weaving through his artistic life. While appreciating the works, the students gained insight into the evolution of Guyuan’s artistic style; more importantly, they felt the unique sincerity and integrity of this "people’s artist" through the humanistic feelings embedded in his creations. Additionally, the museum’s thoughtfully curated exhibition “The Warmth of a Piece of Paper”, featuring greeting cards exchanged between Guyuan and his friends/students, which transforms the abstract concept of "having students all over the country" into tangible warmth. These cards are not only a testament to the sincere friendship and mentorship between Guyuan and his friends/students but also a vivid reflection of his profound legacy in art education, having nurtured countless talents in the field.

Beyond immersing themselves in Guyuan’s artistic world, the students also visited “Autumn Impressions: Homage to Zhuhai”, an exhibition of comprehensive material paintings by Italian artist Carlo Alberto Cozzani, embarking on another diverse aesthetic journey amid the collision and integration of Chinese and Western art. The exhibition boasts a uniquely creative spatial narrative, unfolding in three thematic chapters centered on Past, Present, and Future. Simultaneously, Chinese classical poetry is integrated to annotate the works, fostering cross-temporal interaction between visual images and literary text, which further enriches the layers and dimensions of artistic expression.

Through this visit and learning experience, the students not only strengthened their understanding of the course content but also gained fresh insights into art: Art is not an unattainable concept, but a life approach within reach, and a link connecting the past and the future.

Text: Xiaoxiao ZHU, Yao XIAO

Images: lingyi ZHU, Yao XIAO

Reviewer: Xi WANG