Foreword

Lampwork craftsmanship has a long history in China, the glass drops of dragonfly eye in the Warring States period are the embodiment of the ancient exquisite skill. In modern times, an unique lamp glass production technology has been developed in Zibo City, Shandong Province, mainly with subject matter of melon, fruit, grass and insect, which are deeply loved by people. Hebei Hejian City is gradually turning from the glass production of instrument to the field of daily glass production. Carrying out the teaching of craft glass art in art colleges and universities is a matter of recent years.

Today, as daily glass production, Hejian people realize that design has been the main bottleneck that restrict the development of enterprises. If the enterprises want to realize the promotion of their brand, they must create products designed with its own cultural characteristics and contemporary practicability. Teaching of colleges and universities is the embodiment of the needs in the times, because its talent training is expected to meet the urgent needs of the society and to create more artistic lamp works, showing the exquisite skills and various creative possibilities to the society. Lamp art skill is easy to learn and master with lower requirements for tools, equipment and operating space. Therefore, the lamp craft course is popular with students in glass teaching in various colleges and universities in China at present. Based on such a background of development, enterprises and colleges are bound to hold hands. It is of practical significance to hold an exhibition of lamp glass art to enhance the cooperation between schools and enterprises and academic exchanges between schools. Therefore, in order to promote local economic development, the Hejian City Government strongly supported such academic activities and hopes to list this event as an internationally influential exchange event regularly held in local, this idea led to the result that the name of the exhibition was expanded to “International Lamp Glass Art Festival”. It was difficult to hold such a large-scale event for the first time. However, thanks to the active efforts and works of all parties, the festival was successfully held. A total of 418 works were enlisted in the whole country. After two rounds of evaluation, 83 works were selected and 26 were awarded. In addition, there were 25 works from the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, as well as works of major domestic artists invited to participate in the exhibition. During the activity, Chinese and foreign artists and masters of arts and crafts also gave wonderful craftwork presentation and academic speeches to the audience, which enabled visitors to have a more comprehensive understanding of the current situation of the development of lamp art in today’s world. The two-night relaxing seminar also provided an opportunity for artists to make in-depth exchange.

The successful holding of this International Lamp and Glass Art Festival is an important beginning of special academic activity on the art of lamp glass in China. It is great significance to promote the teaching and design of lamp glass art, strengthen the cooperation between schools and enterprises, and to benefit international academic exchanges at the same time, which is certain to have a profound impact on future work.

Associate Professor of Art and Crafts Department,

Academy of Art and Design, Tsinghua University