Students celebrate the merging cultures with Fusion, a joint art show between Medicine Hat College (MHC) and Xiamen University in China. The show, displayed in the Cultural Centre between Mar. 3 to Mar. 23, showcases a variety of graphic design work, all inspired by the name of the exhibition.
Yulin Wang, program coordinator for the art & design program and curator for the show says he was motivated to collaborate with Xiamen University to generate discussion and understanding of graphic design from two different cultural, geographic, and social perspectives. Instructors from both institutions assigned similar projects to their graphic design students and once completed, their digital work was sent to be printed and displayed.
“What is particularly special about this exhibition is the meeting of young creative minds - one group from the Canadian prairies and the other from a metropolitan city in China,” says Wang. “The gallery space is a perfect meeting place for these creative minds.”
There are 44 pieces displayed in the gallery, exploring a variety of themes that both directly and indirectly reflect the meaning of fusion. Second-year art & design student, Ella Dutton, says it was interesting to see how students from both cultures interpreted the assignment.
“I feel like a lot of them went for political issues, whereas a lot of our work focused more on the fusion aspect of it” says Dutton. “I think they're all really good and the different perspectives were interesting to see.”
Dutton’s work, called Conjoined, is included in the exhibition, along with the work of classmates from the Graphic Design I course.
Fusion is open to the public during gallery hours and there will also be a public reception held on Mar. 16 at 7:00 PM. The show will also be displayed at the Open Museum in Xiamen University in April 2023.
“I strongly believe by embracing togetherness we can celebrate the richness in creativity, cultural diversity, and similarities between our two countries and our traditions,” says Wang. “We have far more in common than we have in our differences.”
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