Recently, the opening ceremony and award presentation of the "Year In Year Out: Global Zodiac Design Competition" Invitational Exhibition (Year of the Dragon) were successfully held at the Cultural Space of Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center (BOCEC). Pang Wei, Level I Bureau Rank Official of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and Pan Chenghui, Assistant to President of Central Academy of Fine Arts, attended the award ceremony and presented awards to the winners of the Global Zodiac Design Competition (Year of the Dragon). The event was attended by judges of the competition, participating artists, award-winning designers, and media reporters.
The award ceremony officially commenced with the ethnic music piece "Dragon Boat" performed by students and teachers from the Beijing Opera Art's College. Accompanied by cheerful melodies, Ms. Pang Wei extended a warm welcome on behalf of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism to all the guests attending the event, expressing heartfelt gratitude to the Central Academy of Fine Arts. She emphasized that the Chinese zodiac culture, a unique tradition and creation of the Chinese nation, represents a significant contribution of the Chinese people to the world's civilizations and should be vigorously promoted. The Global Zodiac Design Competition is a signature project jointly hosted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Since its inception in 2014, it has been held continuously for 10 editions. Building on efforts dedicated to promoting Chinese zodiac culture over the years, we have accumulated abundant and high-quality achievements in zodiac cultural design, attracting and bringing together a vibrant community of artists. The project has also served as an important platform for promoting the integration of Chinese and world cultures, facilitating mutual learning, and enhancing cultural exchange among people. As a result, the competition has evolved into a culturally significant international event. We cordially invite artists and professionals from home and abroad to join our cause, to tell compelling Chinese stories, spread the authentic voice of China, so as to let the world understand China better, and help China to effectively present itself on the global stage.
Pan Chenghui, Assistant to President of Central Academy of Fine Arts, said that the zodiac culture is an age-old treasure of the Chinese nation, carrying Chinese people's aspirations for a better life and hopes for a bright future. The Global Zodiac Design Competition (Year of the Dragon) is a grand event that promotes traditional Chinese culture and showcases the charm of the zodiac culture, injecting new vitality into its inheritance and development. The entries received by the competition not only fully demonstrate the enduring attention of the public to traditional Chinese culture but also display the rich cultural connotations of the Chinese zodiac and artistic creativity.
In this edition of the competition, a total of 4,033 design entries from 14 countries across 4 continents were received. During the award ceremony, 72 pieces were unveiled under 15 award categories. The organizers and guests presented the awards to the winning designers. Among them, "Great Wall Dragon" by Sun Shiqian received the first prize in the product design category, "24 Solar Terms" by Liu Zhao Studio received the first prize in the "Three Mountains and Five Gardens" thematic design category, and "The Great Red Lantern Dragon" by Zhang Yi received the second prize in the graphic design category.
In the upcoming exhibition, alongside the aforementioned award-winning pieces, 36 works from previous editions of the exhibition will be displayed, along with 29 art pieces by 15 invited artists. The artwork "Red Dragon" by Sebastian, a renowned Mexican sculptor, was invited to participate, marking its debut in China. In the introduction, the artist mentioned that the red dragon-shaped installation embodies strength, light, and character, akin to Quetzalcoatl in Mesoamerica, symbolizing the great force of life, and of transformation.
This year's exhibition, among all its editions, showcases the largest number and most diverse range of artworks. The award-winning pieces will feature in Chinese zodiac-themed design image exhibitions in 10 foreign countries including the U.K., Finland, Estonia, Greece, Germany, and Peru, as part of the 2024 "Happy Chinese New Year" event.
Unveiling of the "Auspicious Chinese Zodiac" Logo
In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Global Zodiac Design Competition event series, the organizing committee has officially unveiled the "Auspicious Chinese Zodiac" logo.
Global Zodiac Design Competition (Year of the Snake) Announces Global Call for Entries
At the event venue, Wang Hairu, Deputy Director of the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center, officially announced the global call for entries for the Global Zodiac Design Competition (Year of the Snake) on behalf of the competition's organizing committee.
2025 marks the Chinese Year of the Snake. The snake symbolizes sensibility, auspiciousness, divinity, and conveys people's reverence for ancestors and spirits, expressing hopes for a beautiful, peaceful, prosperous, and fulfilling life. The Global Zodiac Design Competition will continue to widely solicit Zodiac Snake-themed design works from professional institutions, design agencies, and designers globally. Renowned domestic and international experts will be invited to form the judging committee, and the winning entries will be showcased and promoted on a broader international cultural exchange platform.
The Global Zodiac Design Competition (Year of the Snake) mainly comprises two competition categories, namely, Zodiac Snake-themed Graphic Design, Multimedia & Interactive Design, and Zodiac Snake-themed Product Design. Additionally, thematic design series such as "Three Mountains and Five Gardens" will also be included. The official competition website will release detailed event information in January, 2024. Please visit the official website of the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center for more information.
This invitational exhibition was co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal People's Government. It was organized by the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center and the Silk Road Art Research and Collaborative Innovation Center of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. The event was supported by institutions including the Yuanmingyuan Research Center of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the Chinese Embassy in Belgium, the Chinese Embassy in Mexico, the National Arts Center of Mexico, the International Museum of Carnival and Mask of Binche in Belgium, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Beihai Park, Haidian District Cultural Promotion Center, and Beijing University of Technology.
