Inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program: 60 Artworks Showcase Cultural Fusion

Organized by Southern University College, the “Voyage to the South, Convergence on the Maritime Silk Road —— 2026 International Artist-in-Residence Exhibition” grandly opened on August 4. Showcasing the dedicated creations of Chinese artists during their campus residency, the event officially marks the inception of the college’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program.

In his welcome remarks, Tan Chai Puan, Director of Museum & Art Gallery, expressed special gratitude to curator Xu Zhiming for leading 10 Chinese artists to Malaysia for exchange and creation. He noted that the exhibition holds profound significance: “The residency of these 10 artists on campus for creative work, alongside close-up interactions with faculty and students, not only fosters artistic creation and cultural cooperation, but also infuses a rich humanistic and artistic atmosphere into the campus.”

Speaking at the event, Xu Zhiming, an artist from the Chengmai Artists Association in China’s Hainan Province, used the fundamental elements of artistic creation—”dot, line, and plane”—as a metaphor for the cultural integration displayed in the exhibition. He believes that different cultures, much like dots, lines, and planes in a painting, are both independent and interdependent. Through exchange and collision, they form rich artistic expressions. He expressed hope that art can bridge geographical boundaries, promote mutual learning between civilizations, and allow the public to experience the artistic charm contained within the “visible infinity.”

In his speech, Dato’ Vincent Tan Meng Seng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Southern University College, pointed out that as the showcase of the school’s first Artist-in-Residence Program, this exhibition pioneers international art exchanges for the institution and was successfully held under the promotion of Tan Chai Puan and Xu Zhiming. He stated that this not only opens the door to international cooperation for the Department of Art and Design but also enriches the museum’s collection of precious Chinese Western-style oil paintings, carrying profound significance for elevating the vision and level of local culture and arts.

Guests of honor at the opening ceremony—including Steve Chong Yoon On, Chairman of the Southern University Cultural Foundation; Datin Janice Teh Hwee Tiang, Vice Chairman of the Southern University College Board of Directors; Dato’ Sri Lim Ik Kim, and Prof. Leong Loong Kong, President of Southern University College—jointly officiated the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the exhibition.

The exhibition runs until the 10th of this month (closed on Sundays), with visiting hours from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The exhibited artworks are available for collection, with half of the proceeds to be donated to the Southern University College Education Fund.

由南方大学学院主办的“帆渡南洋·艺汇海丝”艺术展于8月4日隆重开幕，展出中国画家驻校期间的倾力创作，正式开启该校“驻校画家计划”先河。

文物与艺术馆馆长陈再藩致词时特别感谢联合策展人徐志明带领10名中国画家赴马交流创作。他说，“此次展览更具意义，10名画家驻留校园创作，与师生近距离交流，不仅促进了艺术创作与文化合作，也为校园注入浓厚的人文艺术氛围。

中国海南省澄迈美术家协会艺术家徐志明致词时以艺术创作最基础的元素，“点、线、面”比喻此次展览所展现的文化交融。

他认为，不同文化如同绘画中点线面般，既各自独立又彼此依存，通过交流与碰撞形成丰富的艺术表达，希望能借由艺术来跨越地域界限，促进文明交流互鉴，让民众感受“可见的无限”所蕴含的艺术魅力。

南方大学学院董事长拿督陈洛臣致词中指出，此展作为学校首次“驻校画家计划”的成果展，开创了该校国际艺术交流的先河，并在馆长与策展人的推动下，成功举办此次展览。

他表示，这不仅为该校艺术设计系打开了国际合作大门，更丰富了馆藏中珍贵的中国西洋油画作品，对提升本地文化艺术的视野与层次具有重大意义。

展览开幕式嘉宾包括南方大学文化基金主席拿督张润安、南院副董事长拿汀郑惠珍、拿督斯里林奕钦及南院校长梁龙光，一同为这次展览剪彩。

以上展出至本月10日结束，星期天休息日，开放时间上午10时至下午4时。

展览开放收藏，一半将捐予南方大学学院教育基金。