Chronicling the Art of an Era: "China Fine Arts Yearbook 2025" Officially Launched in Beijing

On October 8, the launch ceremony for the "China Fine Arts Yearbook 2025" was grandly held at the Museum of the Communist Party of China. The yearbook was directed by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC), hosted by the China Artists Association (CAA), organized by "Fine Arts" Magazine, and published by the People's Publishing House. During the ceremony, this comprehensive documentary of contemporary art was officially donated to and archived in the China National Archives of Publications and Culture, marking the formal inclusion of new era fine arts developmental records into the national archives system.

Distinguished guests attending the event included Zhu Di, Member of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice Chairman of CFLAC; Qu Jian, Secretary of the Sub-Party Group and Executive Vice Chairman of CAA; Li Zongyuan, Party Secretary and Director of the Museum of the CPC; Pan Yikui, Director of the National Art Museum of China; Lin Mao, President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts; and Chen Pengming, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People's Publishing House. Zhu Di, Li Zongyuan, and Chen Pengming jointly unveiled the new book.

In his speech, Qu Jian emphasized that in the era of building a culturally strong nation, systematically recording and deeply interpreting the developmental trajectory of contemporary Chinese fine arts holds crucial fundamental historical value. Positioned to be "documentary, instrumental, and research-oriented," the "China Fine Arts Yearbook" constructs a multi-dimensional annual narrative of art, striving to faithfully record the contemporary scene. He announced that the compilation for the "China Fine Arts Yearbook 2026" is already in full swing. Looking ahead, the project will build a trio of flagship brands—"Yearbook Series," "Yearbook Release," and "Yearbook Nomination Exhibition"—to further expand the influence of its documentation.

It is reported that the "China Fine Arts Yearbook 2025" was co-compiled by the Yearbook Editorial Board and Oriental Press over a year and a half. Spanning 975 pages and containing 1.539 million words, the book is systematically divided into six major sections: Annual Review, Annual Exhibitions, Annual Education, Annual Publications, Annual Market, and Annual Chronicle. The volume features 1,471 exhibitions, 1,010 art books, teaching dynamics from 43 key institutions, and 2,132 major industry events, providing a comprehensive and objective overview of the prosperous landscape and academic ecosystem of contemporary Chinese fine arts. At the launch, six chief experts representing each section—from prestigious institutions like the Central Academy of Fine Arts, China Academy of Art, and China National Academy of Painting—delivered academic reviews and official announcements.

The "China Fine Arts Yearbook" 2025 Recommended Lists were also unveiled at the event:

Annual Recommended Exhibitions: Ten standout exhibitions were selected, including the "9th National Painting Academy Fine Arts Exhibition," the "National Excellent Fine Arts, Calligraphy, Seal Engraving, and Photography Exhibition of the 14th China Arts Festival," the "'Symbiosis' 10th Beijing International Art Biennale," the "'Forging the Black Myth' - 'Black Myth: Wukong' Art Exhibition," and "Jiang Zhaohe: My Path Through the Wild Grass."

Annual Recommended Art Books: Ten outstanding works were selected, including Carving History with a Blade: Li Shaoyan's Anti-Japanese War Woodcut Art, Intermission: Five Years of the West Bund Museum, A Drop of Ink to the Vast Sea - Postcard Painting in the Late Qing Dynasty, Wang Bomin's Art Historiography Collection, and History of Chinese Patterns.

Annual Recommended Papers: Ten excellent academic achievements were recognized, covering topics such as the spatial reconstruction of major historical paintings, the international context of modern Chinese art history, the spirit of design aesthetics, and art development in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

Following the ceremony, the experts and guests toured the "Glorious Course, Art of the Era - Art Exhibition Celebrating the 105th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China." Industry experts noted that the publication of this yearbook fills a significant gap in the comprehensive compilation of contemporary art history, establishing a solid annual coordinate for reinforcing the cultural foundation of the new era and tracking the evolution of art. (Photos provided by: China Artists Association)