Amid the timeless echoes of Silk Road culture and the auspicious symbol of the phoenix tree inviting talent, the “Silk Road · Phoenix Tree” 2025 Graduation Design Exhibition of the School of Design and Art at Communication University of Zhejiang (CUZ) has officially opened.
University leaders, including Party Secretary Wei Guotan, Deputy Party Secretary Xu Weibiao, Vice President Li Wenbing, Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Zhang Weibo, Deputy Party Secretary Chen Yongbin, Party Committee Member and Director of the Publicity Department (Faculty Affairs Department)Sun Baosheng, and Party Committee Member and Director of the Organization Department (United Front Work Department) Zhang Lei, attended the opening ceremony. They were joined by representatives from government agencies, partner institutions, industries, as well as faculty, staff, and students from various schools and departments.
On the opening day alone, the exhibition welcomed over a thousand visitors, including art lovers and design enthusiasts, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere.
Presented in two sessions, this year’s exhibition features work from five academic programs: Photography, Visual Communication Design, Scenography for Theatre, Film and Television, Fashion and Accessory Design, and Product Design. Through innovative lenses, the works explore the intersection of tradition and modernity, locality and futurism—offering a dynamic fusion of heritage and innovation, and a rich dialogue between art and technology.
Silk Road & Phoenix Tree: A Dual Metaphor for Cultural Vision and Creative Growth
The “Silk Road” stretches across thousands of miles, carrying with it the wisdom of centuries of cultural exchange. The “Phoenix Tree,” lush and deep-rooted, symbolizes vitality, creativity, and the attraction of talent. Together, they form the poetic theme of this year’s exhibition.
The 2025 graduation works are rich in imagination, deeply rooted in traditional culture, and responsive to the spirit of the times. Students have harnessed the language of design to tell meaningful stories, navigate contemporary challenges, and express their creative identities. These works reflect a strong sense of cultural awareness, artistic sensitivity, and forward-looking vision—blending intellectual depth with humanistic care and aesthetic sophistication.
Each creation embodies four years of dedicated study and exploration. They express not only technical mastery and conceptual insight, but also the voice and vision of a new generation. More than a showcase of academic achievement, this exhibition is a celebration of artistic inquiry and a testament to the pursuit of design excellence.
Exhibition Highlights by Program
Photography
Capturing time’s textures with the lens
Reframing human narratives in light and shadow
● Unbalanced Days
Deng Kaiyuan – Photography Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● A Decade
Wang Zhenyao – Photography Class of 2021 (Class 3)
● Evolution: Transcending Form
He Jiabin – Photography Class of 2021 (Class 3)
● Fragmented Frames, Reimagined Cities
He Songlin – Photography Class of 2021 (Class 3)
● Feathered Realms
Zhang Jiayao – Photography Class of 2021 (Class 1)
Visual Communication Design
Deconstructing traditional symbols through diverse media
Imbuing information with aesthetic and cultural meaning
● Visual Identity Enhancement for Meitian Yuping Wet Market
Zeng Xinyi – Visual Communication Design Class of 2021 (Class 1)
● “Lu You and Intangible Heritage” – IP and Cultural Product Design
Chen Yuanyuan – Visual Communication Design Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● “Flower Young Market” Project for Puyuan Ancient Town
Sun Shengnan – Visual Communication Design Class of 2021 (Class 1)
● Year of the Snake Gift Packaging Design
Zhang Hai – Visual Communication Design Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● Blue Calico Infographic Design
Yu Jingtian – Visual Communication Design Class of 2021 (Class 2)
Scenography for Theatre, Film and Television
Building immersive spaces for stage and screen
Transforming dramatic intensity into visual environments
● Linghu · Tracing the Light
Xu Mingyuan – Scenography Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● Saba
Wang Nan – Scenography Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● All Things Thrive
Chang Qing – Scenography Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● Stage Design for “The Good Person of Sichuan”
Wan Jinning – Scenography Class of 2021 (Class 1)
● Survivor’s Micro-Theatre
Song Shaopu – Scenography Class of 2021 (Class 1)
Fashion and Accessory Design
Integrating Silk Road imagery with contemporary fashion
Weaving cultural identity into fabric and form
● Warm Bond
Jiang Ziyue – Fashion and Accessory Design Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● Digital Cocoon
Lou Yangyang – Fashion and Accessory Design Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● Cordelia
Qin Yue – Fashion and Accessory Design Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● Chaos and Order
Wang Yifan – Fashion and Accessory Design Class of 2021 (Class 1)
● The Shape of Time
Yan Jiayi – Fashion and Accessory Design Class of 2021 (Class 1)
Product Design
Focusing on the relationship between people and objects
Balancing function with empathy and social meaning
● Reinterpreting the Eight Scenic Views of Puchuan
Jiang Chunwei – Product Design Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● Rebirth of Blue Isle
Li Qijin – Product Design Class of 2021 (Class 1)
● Public Facility and Landscape Upgrades in Heshang Town, Xiaoshan
Pan Kejiong – Product Design Class of 2021 (Class 1)
● Fragrance and Heritage: A Tangible Legacy
Ma Junxiu – Product Design Class of 2021 (Class 2)
● Where the Wind Blows
Xiong Youchen – Product Design Class of 2021 (Class 1)
Set Sail with Creativity, Step Forward with Purpose
As the Class of 2025 sets sail toward new horizons, the “Silk Road · Phoenix Tree” Graduation Design Exhibition is both a reflection of their learning journey and a declaration of creative readiness.
Venue:
CUZ Art Museum, Communication University of Zhejiang
Exhibition Dates:
Now through June 9, 2025
We sincerely invite you to witness how our graduating students paint a new aesthetic chapter under the stars of the Silk Road—with design as their brush and vision as their guide.
