The Central Academy of Fine Arts or CAFA is an art academy under the direct charge of the Ministry of Education of China. The Manila Bulletin calls the school "China's most prestigious and renowned art academy." It is considered one of the most selective schools in the country and turns away more than 90% of its applicants each year.
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Overview
The history of the National Art School in Beiping (国立北平艺术专科学校) dates back to the founding of the National School of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1918, advocated by the educator Cai Yuanpei. It was the first national school of fine arts in China and also the beginning of Chinese modern education of fine arts. The academy was founded in April 1950, as a result of the merger between the National Art School in Beiping and the department of fine arts at the third campus of North China University. The former principals of CAFA include Xu Beihong, Jiang Feng, Wu Zuoren, Gu Yuan, Jin Shangyi, Pan Gongkai, and Fan Di'an. Lin Mao has been the president since 2023. The current director of academic commission is Jin Shangyi.
The design programme of CAFA was renewed in 1995 in the name of the Department of Art Design, after a break of some 40 years, and became the School of Design in October 2002. For preparing and training the students as future professionals in design with creative thinking and practical capabilities, the School of Design offers undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. degrees in programs ranging from visual communication design, product design, fashion design, photography, digital media to design theory and history. The School of Design plays an important role in promoting design in China and is actively involved in various design activities, most notably its designs for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well as the establishment of the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University (previously known as the Central Academy of Fine Art's Huadong Campus).
The new CAFA Art Museum, designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, is located at the northeast corner of CAFA campus at No.8, Huajiadi Nan Street, Wangjing, with an area of 3546 m2 and a total floor area of 14,777 m2. The Museum opened in October 2008 for the University's 90th anniversary. The new six-floor museum has several notable collections, including over 2,000 historic Chinese scroll paintings from the Ming Dynasty. The museum hosts rotating exhibitions.
The school drew media attention during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre when the students created a large statue called the Goddess of Democracy. Each of the eight art academies signed a statement explaining the purpose of the statue.
Schools and colleges
Faculty of Art and Design
School of Chinese Painting
School of Fine Art
Department of Oil Painting
Department of Printmaking
Department of Sculpture
Department of Mural Painting
School of Experimental Art
School of Humanities
Department of Art History and Theory
Department of Cultural Heritage
Non-material Cultural Heritage Research Center
Information Center
School of Design
Visual Communication
Industrial Design
Digital Media Design
Photography
Fashion Design
Jewelry Design
School of Architecture
Architecture
Landscape Design
Interior Design
College of City Design
Department of Information Design
Graduate school
Master's Degree Course
Doctoral Degree Course
Museum of CAFA
Set up in the early 1960s, the Museum of Central Academy of Fine Arts (formerly CAFA Gallery), has a collection of 13,000 works which cover a wide variety of genres and styles, including representative works by ancient and modern Chinese masters as well as fine student works. Since the incorporation of the foundation of the Academy in 1950 it has contained Chinese painting, oil painting, print, sculpture and folk art such as New Year picture, embroidery and minority ethnic costume and objects, along with Chinese relics of bronze, pottery, engravings and rubbings.
Rankings and reputation
It has been consistently ranked the best in China among universities specialized in Arts in the recognized Best Chinese Universities Ranking.
As of 2023, the university was ranked 15th globally for "art and design" in the QS World University Rankings.
Notable alumni
Beohar Rammanohar Sinha
Chen Man
Fang Lijun
He Chengyao
Hou Hanru
Hung Liu
Jiang Shuo
Jin Shangyi
Old Xian
Sui Jianguo
Wang Chunchen
Wu Guanzhong
Wu Shaoxiang
Wu Zuoren
Xu Bing
Yan Cong
Yu Chen
Yu Xingze
Zhang Huan
Yan Ping
Ge Yulu