Shen Cai shares her thoughts on Tradition, Innovation & Emotional Truth 

Central Academy of Fine Arts artist and lecturer Shen Cai was one of the representatives of Chinese Women of Excellence in Shanghai’s Bloom in Progress exhibition held from March 22 to July 6, 2025. This exhibition is co-organized by UArt Center, Beijing Jin Shangyi Art Foundation, China Society for the Study of Realism, supported by Shanghai Suhewan Vientiane and the Art Education Research Center of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), curated by Zhang Peng, and produced by Wang Zhijie. 

During the artist’s talk, Shen Cai shared her thoughts on what makes art meaningful. She emphasized that technical skills and modern ideas must serve a deeper purpose rather than just techniques. For her, an artist’s traditional training and modern expression are essential but true art should include both technique and ability to respond to human emotion, societal shifts, and spiritual questions. Shen Cai believes that the audience connects not only with how the painting is made, but also with the reason behind them, she sees art as a way to understand both society and ourselves. 

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