I. Igniting the Spark: Museum-School Collaboration Begins a New Chapter
A symbolic "spark" of children's creativity ignited the fusion of art and education. On May 30th, the "SPARK" joint art exhibition, co-created by Shanghai High School International Division (SHSID) Hongkou Campus and the World Expo Museum, successfully concluded at the museum. This event not only marked the first deep integration of the museum's "Mobile World Expo" initiative into a school setting but also represented an innovative practice in museum-school co-education, illuminating children's artistic dreams. Significantly, as a key prelude, the museum's curatorial team visited the Hongkou Campus, delivering a unique art class on Huang Yongyu. With profound expertise and engaging explanations, the curators guided students to explore the whimsy and spiritual essence within the master artist's works, planting seeds of inspiration for the upcoming exhibition. Ultimately, over 200 imaginative student artworks blossomed within the prestigious halls of the museum.
The opening ceremony gathered distinguished guests: Dai Xiaoli, Director of Open Services at the Shanghai World Expo Museum; Zhao Xiaoyin, Chairperson of the Shanghai Artists Association Children's Art Committee and Editor-in-Chief of Hsin-Yi Foundation Picture Books; Cui Jiandong, Chief Education Officer of the Morning Post Education Development Center; Ms. Liu Fang, Vice Principal of SHSID Middle and Primary School; alongside students, parents from SHSID Hongkou, and representatives from sister schools. Together, they witnessed the opening of this new chapter in aesthetic education. This deep collaboration vividly demonstrates how Expo cultural resources empower school art education, building a bridge between the classroom and the vast world of art.
II. Blossoming Creativity: Three Thematic Displays
The exhibition showcased about 220 student artworks, unfolding across three vibrant themes:
Animal Kingdom · Playful Wonders:
Inspired by Huang Yongyu's "Miscellaneous Notes from the Jar Studio," children created delightful images like mice on skateboards and polar bears in colorful coats. A standout was the "巳巳如意" (Sì Sì Rú Yì – Auspicious Snake) Year of the Snake paper-cut, its fluid lines perfectly capturing Master Huang's witty wisdom of the "supple body.”
Fantasy Adventures · Boundless Imagination:
Integrating Huang Yongyu's imagery of wild geese and owls into self-created scenes like "Moonlit Forest" and "Stellar Journey," children used collage to build fantastical worlds, giving classic figures new life through their youthful perspectives.
Beautiful Life · Warmth and Affection:
From family grape-picking to school sports days, children captured life's beautiful moments with their brushes. Tents under starry skies in the "Camping" series and folded paper "Spring Blossoms" all echoed Master Huang's enduring love for life.
III. Symphony of Art: Diverse Expressions Shine
Students from Hongkou Campus delivered captivating performances at the opening ceremony. The DreamStep Dance Club interpreted the "SPARK" theme through the graceful movements of their dance "Bloom," conveying the profound message of immense potential within small individuals converging to light the future. Additionally, eight students recited Master Huang Yongyu's poems "Spring" and "Fireworks" with clear, emotive voices, engaging in a poignant dialogue across time with the artist's genius. The GLEE Club and SEED Club further harmonized in "Dandelion Promise," blending voices, strings, and piano to transform "a promise to grow up together" into shared hope for the future, sowing seeds of light yet resilient aspiration.
Following the performances, student representatives Natalie (from class 1-2), Max (from class 1-1), Esme (from class 2-1), and William (from class 2-2) shared insights behind their creations. They spoke of exploring Chinese elements in the museum, depicting philosophical animal worlds, experiencing artistic "magic adventures," expressing environmental ideas through mixed media, and paying tribute to Chinese civilization with origami flowers and artworks blending Sanxingdui and oracle bone script motifs. They also extended wishes for "flourishing vitality and prosperity" to their alma mater, Shanghai High School, celebrating its 160th anniversary.
Zhao Xiaoyin, Chairperson of the Shanghai Artists Association Children's Art Committee, highly praised the works, noting they "radiate childlike innocence while showcasing ingenious cultural inheritance." She fully affirmed the innovative museum-school collaboration model and expressed hope for its continued empowerment of aesthetic education, igniting more artistic sparks.
IV. Guiding Light: Educational Innovation for the Future
Dai Xiaoli, Director of Open Services at the Shanghai World Expo Museum, and Ms. Liu Fang, Vice Principal of SHSID Middle and Primary School, jointly envisioned the future of art education. Vice Principal Liu Fang emphasized that the dual innovation of bringing the "Mobile World Expo" into the school and placing "student works in the museum" breaks educational boundaries and expands the dimensions of aesthetic education. She highlighted how students, through their cross-temporal dialogue with Master Huang Yongyu, deepened cultural confidence and sparked creative inspiration. The school, using art as a bridge, cultivates global citizens with both national spirit and international perspective, allowing the spark of childhood to illuminate the future.
Ms. Zhu Dan, Director of SHSID Hongkou Campus, officially launched the campus's "Humanities Off-Campus Mentorship Program." This initiative aims to deepen museum-school collaboration and broaden educational horizons. Over the next three years, the campus will partner with top institutions like the World Expo Museum, the Shanghai Artists Association Children's Art Committee, and Morning Post to build a multidimensional humanities education system. Activities will include "Dialogues with Masters" workshops, immersive cultural site visits, and guided thematic creation and curation. Director Zhu Dan articulated the program's significance through three "transcendences": transcending classroom walls by introducing real-world expertise; transcending subject boundaries to foster integrated humanities literacy and innovative thinking; and transcending cultural domains by deepening roots in Chinese culture while embracing global diversity.
At the ceremony, Ms. Liu Wentao (Director of the World Expo Museum), Ms. Zhao Xiaoyin, and Mr. Cui Jiandong were appointed as the first cohort of off-campus humanities mentors for Hongkou Campus, establishing a long-term art guidance mechanism. The mentors will respectively guide students in exploring global civilizational dialogue, discovering connections between art and life, and enhancing cross-media expression skills, providing richer cultural nourishment for student growth.
Director Dai Xiaoli and Vice Principal Liu Fang also jointly presented certificates to student representatives whose works were featured in the Huang Yongyu exhibition and unveiled the inaugural exhibition catalog, "SPARK." This collection of youthful creativity not only captures the children's artistic highlights but also serves as a precious memento of their growth, ensuring the spark of their imagination shines eternally.
V. An Enduring Journey: Deepening Humanities Education
The success of the "SPARK" joint art exhibition not only fosters the deep integration of quality cultural resources with school education but also radiates unique brilliance at a special moment. As Shanghai High School celebrates its 160th anniversary, the children of Hongkou Campus infused their innocent yet heartfelt brushstrokes with deep blessings for their alma mater – each vibrant piece on display speaks volumes of their sincerest wishes for this century-old institution.
This exhibition serves as a kindling spark: igniting children's passion for art and courage to create, while also illuminating a new path for museum-school collaborative education. As each cluster of youthful spark is lit, the galaxy of education will undoubtedly grow more radiant; as tradition and innovation converge here, the journey of humanities education will continue steadfastly forward.
