Industry 2.0 III，the artwork of Wei Juchuan, an associate professor and master supervisor from the XMU Art School, won the highest special award in the 35th National Art Contest of Singapore.

This National Art Contest was founded in 1982 in Singapore, and this annual event, which is accessible to artists in Singapore and Asian-Pacific regions, has helped take the art of Singapore as well as Southeast Asia to new highs. Up to now, this contest has evolved into one of the grandest art events in Singapore and neighboring countries.

Mr. Wei Juchuan once studied abroad in Australia and Singapore, and later took up residence in Singapore where he taught at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LASALLE College of the Arts. Five years ago, Wei was appointed by Xiamen University as an overseas talent to work at the Art School.

By depicting the rust-eaten machines and parts covered with greasy spots, Wei’s Industry 2.0 III reflects the onset of the post-industrial revolution era, when artificial intelligence and robots replaced traditional manual labor, and the semi-automatic machines, which had been running round the clock to create material wealth for mankind, have gradually fallen into oblivion.

Wei hoped to pay tribute to the forgotten machines that had played a pivotal role in the industrialization through this work of art, and more importantly he wished his work could record the historical traces of industrialization in this rapidly advancing era.

(XMU Art School)

Edited by: Wang Xu