Dunhuang Cultural Week ran successfully from September 20th to 22nd at Regents University in London, showcasing Dunhuang’s unique culture.
Dunhuang in far western China was once an outpost at the edge of the Gobi desert. Today, it is a popular tourist destination because of the Mogao Caves. A complex of hundreds of grottoes filled with Buddhist paintings and sculptures. Located along the Silk Road, Dunhuang inherently features the fusion of diverse cultures.
Some of this fascinating culture was brought to London during the Dunhuang Cultural Week. It featured three main sections under a theme of art + technology: art exhibition, interactive exhibition, and cultural exchange. The art exhibition included the “High-Fidelity Replica of Dunhuang Murals”, which displays 16 exquisite replica murals covering themes such as architecture, flying apsaras, and music and dance. The “Dunhuang Replica View” light and shadow art space recreates the artistic expression of the blue and green landscape in Cave 217 with digital technology. Together, they helped transport some of the beauty of the Mogao Caves to London.
The interactive area became the highlight of the event. “Dream of Dunhuang” AI photography generates customised digital images through face fusion and produces refrigerator magnets. The “Painting Murals in Dunhuang” digital experience allows the audience to participate in traditional art processes such as line drawing and colour filling. And the “Dunhuang in Seals” multi-layer colour stamping activity attracted many visitors to make exclusive Dunhuang postcards.
During cultural exchange activities, visitors had a chance for hands-on experience through handcrafting, colour painting and sensory immersive experience.
Visitors included representatives from the Chinese and British cultural sector, art enthusiasts, university lecturers, students, and media professionals. All came to learn about the unique Dunhuang culture.
The Dunhuang Cultural Week is an international communication project of Dunhuang culture designed by the Dunhuang Academy. It was co-organised by GUANGAN LUMVERSE and BITDB DESIGN.
It was hosted at Regents University in London from 20th to 22nd September.
Organisers said they “hoped that through this event, more British people, especially British students, will gain an understanding of the inclusive spirit of compatibility and mutual learning among civilisations embodied in traditional Chinese culture.”
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