April 18^th, "Cultural Design Innovation Symposium" Held at Our University. The symposium, co-hosted by the Korea Asia Design Culture Center, Jilin Animation Institute,  Jilin Art & Design Association, and Jilin Arts & Crafts Association, was themed "Design, Create Culture". It brought together design experts and scholars to explore the convergence of culture and design, the artistry of cultural product design, cross-cultural creative integration, and the cultural expression of localized design, offering new perspectives and directions for the future of the field.  

Attendees included Liu Keli (President, Jilin Art & Design Association), Wang Shuang (Secretary-General, Jilin Arts & Crafts Association), Zhu Jianming (Executive Vice President, Jilin Industrial Design Association), and Yue Wu (Party Secretary and Supervisory Commissioner, Jilin Animation Institute). Peng Wei, Vice President of Jilin Animation Institute, delivered the opening speech on behalf of the organizers.  

 

Keynote Speakers:

- Zhao Lu (Vice President, Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, China)  

- Maeng Hyung Jae (Founder, Korea Asia Design Culture Center; Emeritus Professor, Konkuk University, South Korea)  

- Koichi Okamoto (Product Designer, Japan)  

- Du Qin (Executive Committee Member, International Council of Design (ICoD); Associate Professor, College of Design & Innovation, Tongji University, China)  

- Jung Ui Tae (Head of Communication Design, Hanyang University, South Korea)  

- Hossein Najafi (Associate Professor, School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)  

- Yuliyawan Dafri (Professor, Indonesian Art Institute)  

- Choi In Kyu (Director, Seoul Design Policy Department, South Korea)  

-Medson Mee (PhD Supervisor, New Era University College, Malaysia)  

Peng Wei emphasized that in the 21st century, where digital civilization and globalization converge, design has transcended aesthetics to become a vital bridge for cultural heritage and innovation. Cultural design innovation is now a key driver of cultural confidence, industrial vitality, and economic growth. As a higher education institution with 25 years of dedication to the cultural and creative industries, Jilin Animation Institute remains committed to its three defining characteristics: open internationalization, integration of academia and industry, and high-tech creative production. The university upholds its mission to cultivate high-level applied talents, blending education, culture, art, technology, and market to nurture versatile professionals who meet the demands of cultural industry development.  

 

Keynote Sessions:

Morning Session:  

- Zhao Lu :"New-Quality Design: Open-Source and Dimensional Elevation in Innovation-Driven Design"  

- Koichi Okamoto:"From Product to Art"  

- Du Qin: “Design Connections in a Globalized Era” 

- Jung Ui Tae:"University Design Education and Interdisciplinary Integration"  

Afternoon Session:

- Hossein Najafi:"AI in Design: Understanding AI Models, Generative Design, and How Artists Can Benefit"

- Yuliyawan Dafri :"Design Innovation Based on Local Cultural Heritage"  

- Choi In Kyu :"Seoul Design 2.0"  

- Medson Mee :"Local Symbiosis and Global Dialogue in Creative Design"

- Maeng Hyung Jae :"Design Culture, Cultural Design"*  

The symposium showcased a high-caliber, globally diverse academic exchange, serving as a dynamic platform for cross-cultural design dialogue.  

This event highlighted Jilin Animation Institute’s international vision and expertise. Design leaders from different nations bridged geographical and cultural divides, engaging in profound discussions that reflected the field’s pluralistic and innovative landscape. Beyond invigorating global design discourse, the symposium established a premier platform for international design and cultural exchange, elevating the university’s influence in design education while offering students invaluable exposure to cutting-edge ideas. By aligning academic training with global design practices, the symposium laid a robust foundation for nurturing culturally rooted yet innovative design talents, further advancing cultural exchange and economic growth.  

A summary of keynote insights will be published soon for readers’ reference.

 

Innovative Cultural Design Symposium Launches at JAI

As a parallel event of the Cultural Design Innovation Symposium, this design exhibition adopts the theme "Design Creates Culture" to systematically explore the profound integration and collaborative development between traditional culture and modern design concepts, comprehensively promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of cultural heritage.  

In today's rapidly evolving wave of globalization, outstanding design works not only embody the aesthetic spirit and functional demands of their era but also serve as crucial mediums for facilitating cross-civilizational dialogue and stimulating cultural vitality. With the remarkable rise of Asian design influence and growing international recognition of Eastern aesthetics, we now stand at a strategic juncture of mutual learning and shared prosperity between Eastern and Western cultures. The central challenge facing the global design community is how to push the boundaries of innovation while preserving cultural identity, thereby constructing a contemporary cultural expression system with universal value.  

The exhibition will showcase how designers employ various approaches—deep cultural excavation, diversified innovation, and technological integration—to create works that balance historical richness with modern aesthetic appeal. Through this event, we aim to establish a cross-cultural exchange platform that fosters the collision and sharing of design concepts, promotes the collective advancement of the design industry worldwide, and further enhances the global influence and competitiveness of culture.

Exhibition Information  

Exhibition Title: Innovative Cultural Design Exhibition

Theme: "Design Creates Culture"

Duration: April 19 - May 15, 2025

Venue: Exhibition Hall, Building B, Jilin Animation Institute  

(No. 168 Boshi Road, High-Tech Zone, Changchun, Jilin, China)  

Scale: 160 Works on Display

 

Curator's Statement

This exhibition anchors itself in the theme "Design Creates Culture", seeking to explore design's cultural roots within the tension between globalization and localization. Focusing on the rise of Asian design influence, we present a narrative framework of "Cultural Excavation - Technological Empowerment - Industrial Transformation", demonstrating how designers are reconstructing contemporary cultural expressions by grounding their work in tradition while harnessing technological innovation. The four thematic modules — "Cultural-Design Integration", "Artistry in Cultural Product Design", "Cross-Cultural Creative Convergence", and *"Localized Cultural Expression" — transcend mere categorical divisions. They collectively form a complete innovation chain: "Decoding Cultural DNA → Refining Design Language →Cross-Domain Collaborative Innovation →Localized Value Output". We envision this exhibition not merely as a display of works, but as a collision of methodologies. As design evolves from "style transplantation" to "cultural translation", Asian wisdom may well provide new coordinates for addressing the crisis of homogenization in global design.  

 

Guest Endorsement

Maeng Hyung Jae：

Founder, Korea Asia Design Culture Center Emeritus Professor, Konkuk University  

"As a scholar deeply committed to design culture research, I particularly commend this exhibition's practical interpretation of 'design-driven cultural innovation.' It may herald a paradigm shift—when design becomes both a 'translator' of cultural DNA and an 'interface' for industrial upgrading, Asian design will transition from being a 'follower' to a 'rule-maker.'  Jilin Animation Institute, with its distinctive 'integration of academia, research, and industry' and innovative practices, is serving as an accelerator for this transformative process."  

Exhibition Showcase