Author: Hanyao Song

Art in the Cracks: A Performance of Memory and Indifference in Nanting Village Nanting Village has long been a place of dual realities. To students and artists from the neighboring Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, it is a canvas of possibility—a space to live, work, and imagine. To many of its residents, however, it is…

Where Art Meets the Ground: A Performance in Nanting Village In Nanting Village, a place long intertwined with the life of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, a quiet but profound disconnect persists. Through conversations with artists, teachers, and villagers, a recurring theme emerges: while artists often pour thought and emotion into this community, the…

Memory Repair Project: Awakening the Warm Stories Between GAFA and Nanting Village In Guangzhou University Town, Nanting Village holds a special place. Nestled next to the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (GAFA), it has been a living, creating, and gathering space for countless GAFA students. The art supply shops, food stalls, and family-run restaurants tucked…

Long’s Hunan Restaurant: More Than a Meal – A Living Archive of Student Life In the bustling lanes of Nanting Village, among art supply stores and student studios, sits a place that has become something of an institution: Long’s Hunan Restaurant. It’s more than just a place to eat; for generations of Guangzhou Academy of…

A Decade in Nanting: An Artist’s Life Between Creation and Drift In the third part of our Nanting Village series, we speak with an artist who has stayed for nearly ten years—though he humbly describes himself as “not a real artist, just someone who persists in creating.” His story offers a quiet, grounded perspective on…

Nanting Village and the Art Academy: An Interview on Symbiosis and Creative Space In the second part of our campus interview series, we sat down with Luo Peng, a thoughtful observer of the dynamics between Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (GAFA) and its neighboring Nanting Village. His reflections reveal a relationship that goes beyond geography—one…

Nanting Village and GAFA: The Rise and Transformation of an Artistic Enclave Tucked away in Guangzhou University City, Nanting Village lies quietly next to the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (GAFA). More than just an ordinary urban village, it has grown into a unique artistic enclave shaped by the presence of the academy. Over the…

Fading Names, Lasting Art: A Wall of Graduating Memories Time passes, students come and go, but the walls of this shop hold traces of their presence. In a recent conversation, the owner shared how the collection of artworks around us came to be. “These were all gifts from the students,” she explained. “It’s like when…

A Family’s Touch: Art and Memory in a Neighborhood Eatery In a small shop near the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, the walls tell more than one story. During a recent visit, I had a chance to speak with the owner and learn about the artwork that gives the space its character. One of the…

A Glimpse into a Campus Café: The Story Behind a Painting During a recent visit to a campus-area café, a brief conversation with a staff member revealed an interesting backstory about the artwork on the walls. When asked about a particular painting, the employee explained that it was not purchased but rather a gift from…