DMC’s "#We, Media" exhibition all set for discovery, fun, and fellowship

March 9–16, the Foundational Building becomes a creative gallery of the Department of Media and Communication. Stop by the #We, Media Exhibition for student videos, fun designs, and a peek into what media studies is really about.

3月9日至16日，基础楼将成为媒体与传播系的创意画廊。欢迎莅临“#我们，媒体”展览，欣赏由该系学生制作的视频、创意设计，并深入了解媒体研究的真实面貌。

Exhibition poster: How media shape society and our understanding of the world in the age of AI. Design and text provided by Yanning Huang.

展览基本信息及概述：在AI时代，媒介如何塑造社会及我们对世界的理解。设计与文字由黄炎宁提供。

The Department of Media and Communication at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is all set to launch the week-long #We, Media Exhibition on March 9 at the Foundational Building, showcasing its blend of creative and academic achievements.

A taste of media studies

The exhibition will feature works from various modules, including news reports, documentary photography, videos, graphic design projects, and social media campaigns. Research posters on topics like media bias, ACGN (anime, comics, games, and novels), and food-related social media content will also be displayed. Additionally, AI-generated film posters exploring different genres will be featured.

Dr Yanning Huang, an associate professor at DMC and Programme Director of BA Media and Communication Studies, is the organizer of the event. He noted that the selection process focused on works that combined technical skills with critical thinking informed by media theory. “We want students not only to know how to produce media, but also to understand the social implications of media,” he said.

Timed perfectly with the Year 1 programme selection deadline at the end of March, the exhibition aims to attract prospective students to the BA Media and Communication Studies programme as well as to engage a wider student body.

Dr Huang stressed that the exhibition is designed to raise the visibility of DMC and highlight its unique combination of media production skills and critical, humanistic perspectives.

“This exhibition allows us to present student work to a broader community, demonstrating the diversity of our curriculum and the importance of humanistic inquiry in media education,” he said, adding that such exhibitions are rare but invaluable at XJTLU. He traced the idea to an event organized by the Department of China Studies that showcased Chinese rural children’s poetry.

Wanyi Cheng, academic administrator of DMC, carefully opens the first batch of arriving exhibits in front her office, decorated for the Chinese New Year.

Photo by Yanning Huang.

Where creators and audiences will meet

The title “#We, Media” reflects the exhibition’s theme of blurred boundaries between media creators and audiences. “‘We’ stands for DMC, our students, and staff members who study media and communication,” Dr Huang explained. “It also represents everyone who is connected with media, whether as creators or consumers.” The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on how they engage with media both as creators and as audiences.

The hashtag “#We” was proposed by Dr Qingning Wang, Programme Director of the MSc programme, who has used it in her lectures when introducing the department to Year 1 students. Faculty members unanimously approved the title, believing it effectively represents the exhibition’s emphasis on shared media experiences.

Wanyi Cheng displays and explains a fake movie poster to a School academic administrator passing by. Photo by Yanning Huang.

More than a showcase

The exhibition is expected to draw a large audience, including Year 1 students, faculty, and staff. It will provide an opportunity for students to showcase their work while also raising awareness of DMC’s humanistic approach to media education.

Dr Huang hopes that the exhibition will inspire Year 1 students, offering them insights into the media industry and new media techniques, while also helping them develop a deeper understanding of social issues through media.

He suggested the event reflects the department's approach of integrating media production with humanistic inquiry, where critical thinking is presented as a key component of media education.

Story by YANING LU and ANQI TAN / DMC Newsletter.

Courtesy of the scholastic journalism team,

Department of Media and Communication, XJTLU.