News & Events: Chinese New Year Exhibition Party 2020

20/01/2020

Goldsmiths CI started the Chinese New Year period off with a bang on Friday evening, inviting Goldsmiths staff, students, and members of the local community to the department’s exciting Chinese New Year Exhibition Party.

With Goldsmiths’ iconic Great Hall venue closed for refurbishment, this year’s event took on a different form than previous years, focusing on showcasing Chinese arts and culture through the form of an Exhibition Party. Integrating Chinese art and performance art, several dazzling performances took place within an exhibition space.

The party was themed around the Zodiac Rat, accepting exhibition entries in a variety of mediums from local artists. The theme also appeared in the range of interactive stalls, with rat origami, zodiac-themed Chinese calligraphy sessions, blow-painting, and more.

Some of the artists featured in the exhibition included Goldsmiths BA Fine Art and MFA Fine Art graduates as well as South London contemporary artist and painter, Marcus Aitkin, who was recently named Saatchi Arts top 20 emerging artists to watch in 2020.

Photo by Samer Moukarzel

Throughout the evening, the Goldsmiths CI performance team delivered a variety of cutting edge performances, showcasing the diverse range of art forms from China. Among these were traditional folk dance pieces, as well as a contemporary dance piece taking elements from various styles of Asian and International dance. As the event came to an end, the performers invited the audience to participate in an interactive Chinese folk dance, acting as the perfect way to close the evening.

The Exhibition Party was well-received by guests, and kicked off the Chinese New Year festivities at Goldsmiths. For those who missed the evening, Goldsmiths CI offers a range of workshops and events throughout the year, as well as the opportunity to learn some of the dance forms featured in the evening.