HSS Visual Arts Festival Invited XJTLU Alumnus to Share Media experience

On May 7th, the Department of Media and Communication at XJTLU hosted an inspiring career talk inviting Jiang Hao, a senior filmmaker and interdisciplinary visual artist. Jiang, graduated from XJTLU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture, shared his creative journey with students from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Design School, and Academy of Film and Creative Technology.

The event was part of the HSS Visual Arts Festival, which has been held annually for three consecutive years. This year’s festival, themed “Visualising Suzhou: Past, Present and Future,” celebrates creativity and aims to ignite students’ artistic aspirations by encouraging them to explore and express their vision of Suzhou through visual media.

This event also served as a prelude to the upcoming HSS Leadership Scheme, which was launched on 14 May and will officially start in September. The scheme aims to incentivize student engagement in HSS activities through self-directed, curated experiences that blend creativity, leadership, and personal growth.

The session was hosted by Ms. Emma Nan Hu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Media and Communication, who introduced Jiang and highlighted his impressive background in both architecture and film. She noted Jiang’s sucessfully transitioned from studying architecture to becoming a senior film director and producer, emphasizing the power of cross-disciplinary skills in today’s creative industries.

Jiang began the talk by revisiting his early work on Chefang (车坊), a documentary he directed during his time at XJTLU. He discussed how this documentary laid the foundation for his future filmmaking career and how it marked the beginning of his journey into storytelling through visual media.

Reflecting on his experiences in the film industry, Jiang explained how his architecture background shaped his approach to narrative construction and visual composition. He recounted his work on the television drama Blossoms Shanghai (繁花) and how he explored the intersection of personal history and public memory through film. Jiang emphasized that, as a filmmaker understanding people’s lives and environments is essential, as inspiration often arises from everyday surroundings.

One of the key themes in his talk was the creative potential found in daily life, especially when combined with emerging technologies like AI. He shared how the pandemic experience led him to explore the new visual performance techniques, emphasizing that even ordinary moments can evoke powerful emotions when captured thoughtfully.

In his closing remarks, Jiang offered a profound piece of advice: “The world is a huge makeshift theater, so don’t be afraid, try everything.” His words reminded the audience that innovation and creativity often come from embracing the unknown and taking bold steps forward.

The Q&A session saw students asking about career advice, and Jiang encouraged them to embrace both theoretical and practical aspects of their studies. He stressed that the film industry, like many others, is shaped by experience and passion, urging students to follow their interests and not be afraid to explore unconventional paths.

As one of the school's annual events, the 2025 HSS Visual Arts Festival provided students with a platform to present their unique interpretations of Suzhou through photography, graphic design, and AI-generated images. The works reflected a wide range of creative talents and attracted participation from students across disciplines, extending artistic expression beyond the classroom.

Ms. Emma Nan Hu, the coordinator of the Visual Arts Festival, highlighted that this year’s festival was special because it included not only a competitive segment but also a non-competitive section that featured works from various academic modules. The students' involvement spanned across art, design, technology, and other fields, showcasing broad interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.

“The HSS Visual Arts Festival is a platform for students in our school who want to put knowledge they learned in studies into practice and/or just want to do something creative outside the class. Since last year, we have had student volunteers joining in the organization and operation of the festival. We want to encourage our students to not only continue expressing themselves in visual art forms but also consider taking part in the running of the festival and help build up this new legacy of HSS together.” Emma said.

The exhibition of works was displayed in the G-floor lobby of the HSS building starting from the event date, with a two-week exhibition period. The exhibition has drawn significant interest from HSS students and faculty members, particularly from the Department of Media and Communication, who engaged actively with the works on display.

Reporter: Ting Li
Editor: Yiyi Gu