Digital technologies build new bridges for international artistic exchange

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- From the digital revival of cultural heritage to the global popularity of Chinese-inspired creative works, digital technology is opening new pathways for artistic exchange across borders.

At the ongoing Global Dialogue on Art and Technology forum, which opened Tuesday in Beijing, experts noted that the integration of art and technology has evolved into a cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary global practice, reshaping how cultures connect, communicate and co-create in the digital age.

Co-hosted by relevant departments of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and China Economic Information Service, the forum has brought together people from the art and technology sectors in China and abroad.

The Beijing Initiative for Global Dialogue on Art and Technology was also launched at the opening ceremony, aiming to further strengthen cooperation and advance the global integration of art and technology.

"The deep integration of art and technology has become a vital force driving the progress of human civilization," Zhang Zheng, vice chairman of the CFLAC, said in his address.

He called for efforts to promote mutual learning among civilizations and the symbiotic development of art and technology to ensure that the outcomes of such integration are shared more broadly around the world.

Lyu Yansong, editor-in-chief of Xinhua News Agency, said that in this process, media organizations serve not only as witnesses and recorders, but also as participants. Xinhua stands ready to work with all parties to help build bridges for cross-cultural exchange, Lyu noted.

FROM CONNECTION TO CO-CREATION

With more than 50 years of experience, Johann van der Walt, a photographer from South Africa, described himself as "a true believer in the digital era," embracing the latest innovations in the field.

He noted that digital technology has transformed the way he works, while also making the world smaller and facilitating the exchange of ideas worldwide.

Fan Di'an, chairman of the China Artists Association, noted that growing attention is now being paid to how artificial intelligence is reshaping the deeper logic of art and the structure of culture.

"AI-driven art has shifted from a purely technical issue to a cultural proposition, and from a tool at the operational level to a methodology that informs artistic creation," he said.

According to scholars, this transformation is also redefining the nature of cultural exchange itself. In the past, exchanges between civilizations largely relied on translation, implicitly assuming boundaries between cultures. Today, however, new possibilities are emerging.

Li Xiaobing, a professor specializing in music artificial intelligence at the Central Conservatory of Music, said that rather than merely translating between cultures, people are increasingly "co-creating meaning within shared generative systems."

By embedding different musical structures, aesthetic logics and modes of expression into the same technological framework, cultural interaction is becoming a process of joint participation and creation. "The integration of art and technology is no longer just a methodological crossover, but a new mechanism of cultural development," Li noted.

In recent years, China has actively explored new forms of art-tech integration, with a range of cultural products and digital projects gaining international visibility. The interactive digital platform Digital Library Cave allows audiences around the world to appreciate the treasures of ancient murals. "Black Myth: Wukong," a game inspired by classical Chinese mythology, has earned international acclaim, while the animated film "Nezha" has boosted the global reach of Chinese culture.

Helena Hyv nen, a Finnish professor at the China Academy of Art who has lived in China for about a decade, said she has witnessed the country's significant progress in multiple fields. She added that China should continue to develop distinctive approaches rooted in its own cultural strengths while ensuring they resonate with Western audiences.

From a communication perspective, Gao Weihua, a professor at the Communication University of China, said that despite cultural differences, emotionally engaging stories, vivid characters and strong visual narratives can still resonate with global audiences, highlighting the value of integrating art and technology in promoting mutual understanding among civilizations.

"Cultural creation should go beyond the simple assembly of symbolic elements and instead delve into the deeper essence of traditional culture, ensuring that technology serves cultural expression," she added.