Digital Artist · Director · Curator · Researcher · Professor
Yu Zhen is a leading digital artist, professor, and doctoral supervisor. He serves as Executive Deputy Director of the CAA AI Center, Vice Dean of the School of Innovative Design, and Deputy Director of the Digital Art Committee of the China Artists Association.
A key figure in China’s digital art field, he was Chief Curator of the First China Digital Art Exhibition (2024), curated the Digital Art Animation section of the 14th National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Beijing the same year, and in 2026 curated Possible Worlds Archive: International Tech Art Exhibition.
In 2023 he founded the Metaverse Art Academy, guided by the ethos “the cosmos as school, nature as teacher, all beings as classmates.” His practice spans digital art, panoramic immersive film, and mixed reality.
Professor and doctoral supervisor at China Academy of Art · Vice Dean of the School of Innovative Design · Executive Deputy Director of the CAA AI Center · Deputy Director of the Digital Art Committee of the China Artists Association · Founder of the Metaverse Art Academy (MAA)02
Philosophy
创作理念
Building the artistic future of the digital civilization era through tech-art
The work asks how art can exist in the digital civilization era — taking tech-art as method and future narrative as horizon, linking digital cultural heritage with AI art, and growing in dialogue with research.
Digital art · Future narrative · Digital cultural heritage · AI art · Immersive media · Curatorial research
XUNKUPosthuman · SaierSacred Images of Renowned Mountains
03
Awards
荣誉成就
International International
2026
WSXA Paris (Fest Regards / ARFF International) · Finalist
XUNKU series (Deepcore: When Cave Breath)
2026
The Buddha International Film Festival (India) · Best Virtual Reality Video
XUNKU series (Deepcore: When Cave Breath), certificate dated 18 April 2026
2025
World Film Festival in Cannes · Best Virtual Reality (Short)
XUNKU series (the "Gold" mark is the award's own label, not a separate Gold Award)
2025
Global Film Festival Awards (Los Angeles) · Best Virtual Reality 360
XUNKU series
2025
Global Film Festival Awards (Los Angeles) · Best Visual Effects
XUNKU series (VFX team honor, credited on the certificate as Juntao Chen, Yiyuan Yuan, Yiyi Qian, Wenjia Zhang, Yilei Wu, Jiahong Xu, Nayong Huang, Tianbai Feng)
2025
Hollywood Shorts Fest · Honorable Mention
XUNKU series (credited at the time as Luminous Icons: Echoes in the Sacred Grottoes)
2025
17th Xiamen International Cartoon Festival "Golden Dolphin Award" 2025 · Virtual Reality (VR) Digital Art Gold Award
17th Xiamen International Cartoon Festival "Golden Dolphin Award" 2025 · Annual Education Dream-Building Award
XUNKU (寻·窟) — China Academy of Art, Yu Zhen, Chen Juntao, Qian Yiyi, Yuan Yixi
2025
2025 China Golden Rooster & Hundred Flowers Film Festival · 4th Golden Rooster XR Exhibition, shortlisted
Deepcore · XUNKU (地心下坠·寻窟)
2019
THE PLAN Award (Italy) · Award of Excellence
Yu Zhen / design honor
2021
China Design Intelligence Award (DIA)
Yu Zhen / Merit Award
2019
70th Anniversary of the PRC · Huamei Award and Outstanding Contribution Award
Yu Zhen / academic honor
Twelve selected awards, shortlists, and screenings
04
Curatorial & Creative Roles
策展与重要创作
2024 · Chief Curator
The First China Digital Art Exhibition
A major public exhibition and academic platform for Chinese digital art
2024 · Curator
Digital Art Animation Exhibition Area of the 14th National Art Exhibition in Beijing
Curator, Digital Art Animation section
2024 · Artist/Creator
Digital artwork of the 6th World Buddhist Forum
Digital art creation and on-site presentation
2024 · Curator
Archives of Future Life
Shanghai HOW Art Museum · Special curation on AI and digital life
05
Education
Academic teaching
Academic teaching and graduate training: master’s and doctoral programs, a provincial first-class course, experimental teaching, and public aesthetic education.
Master training
digital media art
Master Program
Doctoral training
Artificial Intelligence and Digital Art Design
PhD Program
Visiting scholar
Digital art creation
Visiting Scholar
Curriculum system
Artificial Intelligence and Digital Art
Curriculum
Provincial first-class course
Artificial Intelligence and Digital Art
2025 Zhejiang First-Class Course
Teaching center
Digital Art and Mixed Reality
Provincial Experimental Teaching Center
Program lead
Digital Media Art
National First-Class Program
Public education
Lectures and aesthetic education
Public Academic Education
06
Partners
合作机构
academic
CAA AI Center
China Artists Association Digital Art Committee
culture
International Tech Art Exhibition
Hosting framework for the First China Digital Art Exhibition
