Today News: Today Art Museum led the sub-forum of “Shape China2015”— “The Future of Art”

As the 2015 Summer Davos Forum gets under way, global future shapers have gathered together in Dalian to discuss the future of the world. “SHAPE China 2015 A Changing China—Global Shapers Summit” was held in Dalian from September 6th to September 7th. Today Art Museum led the sub-forum “The Future of Arts” based on the concept of “Future Gallery”, which captured broad attention from various circles. The Summit was attended by over 400 people including members of the Global Shapers Community committee, economists, political think-tank members of all countries and entrepreneur representatives.

The First Shapers Summit Taking Place in Dalian

The first “SHAPE China 2015 A Changing China—Global Shapers Summit” (hereinafter referred to as “Shapers Summit”), approved and confirmed by World Economic Forum, took place in Dalian before the opening of the 2015 Summer Davos. “Shapers Summit” is hosted by the “Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum”. Like Summer Davos, it is also a conference within the World Economic Forum.

"Shapers Summit” on site

As is set by the World Economic Forum, Davos Forum offers an opportunity for top 1000 enterprises around the world and governments of all countries and regions to exchange their ideas about global hotspot issues or trends. “Shapers Summit” serves as the most powerful platform for Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum to look into the future, as well as an important window to foresee the development of global economy. Here we have new ideas and technologies out of bold presumption, humanitarian conception and rights expectation beyond imagination, updating design and practice of economic structures, and the challenge of breaking the future global pattern faced by human beings. “Shapers Summit” not only shares the global economic forum of Davos, but possesses more vigor and prospects by gathering young leaders together. It has influence not only on today’s world, but also on the global future.    

Centered around the theme “Voice the Future”, this forum will hold over 10 main forums and sub-forums, covering the areas of the New Normal economy, youth entrepreneurship and innovation, the New Silk Road and regional integration, technology evolution, internet and the future, humanities and arts, women’s rights, etc. 

Over 400 people will attend the summit or participate in related activities, including 138 members of the “Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum” committee, celebrities from sports and entertainment like the world skiing champion couple Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo and the Chinese American actor Gao Shengyuan, as well as young economists, members of political think-tanks and excellent young entrepreneurs from all over the world.

The Future of Arts

At 2:00 p.m. on September 6th, 2015, the sub-forum “The Future of Arts” led by Today Art Museum captured broad attention for its creative theme and academic feature. It was attended by Alex Gao, curator of Today Art Museum, Suzanne Anker, a well-known American bio-artist and dean of the pure art department of School of Visual Arts, New York, as well as the famous architect Wang Hui and the contemporary art theorist Su Lei, who together discussed the futurity of arts with young leaders and the media present.   

The Sub-Forum on Site

Firstly, Alex Gao, curator of Today Art Museum, introduced to attendees in detail the opening exhibition of “Future Gallery of Today Art Museum” held in Beijing at the same time, and explained the reason of launching the “Future Gallery”. Wang Hui, a famous architect and designer of Today Art Museum and the Future Gallery, explained the necessity and feasibility of Future Gallery from the perspective of space and art creation. Suzanne Anker attended the forum as a participating artist in the opening exhibition of Future Gallery. She shared her participating feelings and her exploration of futurity from the perspective of art creation. Su Lei, curator of the opening exhibition of Future Gallery, interpreted the prospective feature of that exhibition from the perspective of the relationship between contemporary art development and economics and sociology. 

During this Summer Davos, Today Art Museum not only led the sub-forum “The Future of Arts”, but also showed works from Today Future Museum at the main forum. Six artists participated in the exhibition, namely, Sui Jianguo, Zhan Wang, Dieter Detzner, Yu Zhenli, art education group (Zhang Bin VS Ye Hongtu) and VJxxx VS Mu Lei. 

 

The Influence of Shapers Summit

First of all, Shapers Summit plays a role as a “platform for global young leaders to exchange ideas” and has influence on the global opinion. It offers an opportunity for political leaders of all countries, enterprise leaders, international organization leaders, experts and scholars to exchange their ideas on various important issues about the future world. More importantly, things discussed in Shapers Summit are all related to the global future or trends, which exert great influence on the world development.

Besides, Shapers Summit’s influence is spread through the network of Global Shapers Community all over the world. Starting from the first sub-community in New York, the network was soon expanded to other cities including Santo Domingo, Mexico City, London, Amsterdam, Kiev, Johannesburg, New Delhi and Ulan Bator. So far, there are altogether 75 sub-communities in the world. Members of the community come from large multinational corporations and pioneer companies. Apart from the industry, the Community has also established relationship with senior figures from political, academic and media circles.

 

Leadership messages

In promoting this (Belt and Road) initiative, China will follow the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. The programs of development will be open and inclusive, not exclusive. They will be a real chorus comprising all countries along the routes, not a solo for China itself. To develop the Belt and Road is not to replace existing mechanisms or initiatives for regional cooperation. Much to the contrary, we will build on the existing basis to help countries align their development strategies and form complementarity.

--Xi Jinping

President of the People’s Republic of China

Makers fully display the vitality of public entrepreneurship and innovation. Such vitality and innovation will become an eternal engine of China’s future economic growth. 

--Li Keqiang

Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China

We are increasingly aware that only when young people are engaged on a local, regional, national and international level can we manage to resolve global challenges together. The young generation has the passion, vigor and entrepreneurship to shape the future.

                                                                         --Professor Klaus Schwab

Founder and executive chairman of World Economic Forum