The HKMU team, from the Department of Creative Arts, produced an animated short video as a tribute to Xu Beihong.
Participating students present their creative outcomes to HKMU President Prof. Lam Kwan-sing (centre), explaining the creative concepts and details behind them.
Presenting certificates of appreciation to the HKMU students are Mr Liao Honghua (fifth left), Secretary-General of the Xu Beihong Art Committee; Ms Xu Fangfang (fifth right), daughter of Xu Beihong and Chief Advisor of the Xu Beihong Art Committee; Mr David Ng (second right), Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Sino Group; and Ms Bella Chhoa (first left), Chief Commercial Officer of Sino Group .
The students designed Chinese-style background frames for the interactive installation, allowing the public to create their own horse-themed artworks.
To celebrate the Year of the Horse, a student team from the School of Arts and Social Sciences (A&SS) at Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) was invited by Sino Group to contribute to the production of the world's first naked-eye 3D animation of Xu Beihong's famous ink-wash painting, Six Galloping Horses.
Four students from the Department of Creative Arts combined digital art and creative design techniques to bring the ink-wash horses to life, allowing them to leap off the canvas and onto the screen. The animation incorporates Hong Kong characteristics, featuring the Tsing Ma Bridge and the cityscape as a backdrop to present a magnificent scene of galloping horses. This achievement demonstrates the students' ability to flexibly apply their knowledge to industry practice and embodies the efforts of HKMU as a university of applied sciences to cultivate professionals with practical skills.
Under the guidance of Mr Yu Penghao, Executive Director of the opening ceremony of the 15th National Games in Shenzhen 2025, the HKMU students were involved in creating materials, including animations and interactive experiences. The participating student team members are:
To pay tribute to Xu Beihong, the “father of modern Chinese painting”, the HKMU students created an animated short video. Inspired by the master's ink-wash painting of galloping horses and incorporating innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, they transformed the classic artwork into vivid digital imagery, revitalising the charm of traditional art through novel digital means. The work is now showcased on the giant LED screens in Sino Group's shopping malls, offering the public an artistic extravaganza that blends tradition and modernity to celebrate Chinese New Year.
HKMU President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, along with faculty and the student team, recently attended the opening ceremony of the “A Timeless Dialogue with Xu Beihong” exhibition, where they witnessed the premier of the animation. Prof. Lam expressed his delight at the students' creative achievements, stating, “Through participating in this creative project, the students were able to step beyond classroom learning and training into a real-world commercial environment, applying their knowledge and gaining valuable experience.” He said he hoped the students would gain confidence from the public's appreciation and recognition of their work, inspiring them to continue excelling in the field of creative arts.
Mr Tin Lai-man, Assistant Professor in A&SS and supervisor for this project, emphasised that the invitation to collaborate with a professional production team reflects strong industry recognition of HKMU's programmes and the student capabilities. He said, “The students' work demonstrates rich creativity and professional technical standards. It successfully integrates traditional ink art with modern 3D and 2D animation, as well as interactive technology. This reflects the University's commitment to nurturing interdisciplinary talent in arts and technology.” He added that the outcome shows that the students have the professional skills needed by industry and are capable of creating professional works appreciated by the public. He thanked Sino Group, the Xu Beihong Art Committee and the Beihong Jingwen Art Research Centre for providing HKMU students with this valuable opportunity to unleash their creative potential and demonstrate the limitless possibilities of art tech.
Student participant Simon Chu Kwun-yin said that presenting his creation to the public gave him a great sense of satisfaction. “Throughout the process, I realised that design requires continually absorbing new styles and learning new technologies, while continuously upgrading our aesthetic ability,” he said. “The greatest challenge lay in integrating the ink-wash painting style into our artwork. We studied a large number of master's work, analysed their elements, and then infused our own ideas into the creation.”
Another participant, graduate Cheung Cheuk-yan, who is now working in the design industry, stated, “We are honoured to have the opportunity to showcase our work to the public. Although the production timeline was tight and full of challenges, I am grateful for the support of my team and mentors. In addition to honing my skills, I gained a deeper understanding of curation and animation production. I will carry these gains with me as I continue on my creative journey.”
HKMU is committed to the educational philosophy of placing equal emphasis on theory and practice. Through offering professional programmes such as creative arts taught by industry practitioners, the University helps students build a solid academic foundation while mastering the latest practical knowledge. The University also actively provides diverse development opportunities, encouraging students to explore various career paths, apply their learning to unlock their potential, and prepare for their future careers.
The HKMU team, from the Department of Creative Arts, produced an animated short video as a tribute to Xu Beihong.
To celebrate the Year of the Horse, a student team from the School of Arts and Social Sciences (A&SS) at Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) was invited by Sino Group to contribute to the production of the world's first naked-eye 3D animation of Xu Beihong's famous ink-wash painting, Six Galloping Horses.
Four students from the Department of Creative Arts combined digital art and creative design techniques to bring the ink-wash horses to life, allowing them to leap off the canvas and onto the screen. The animation incorporates Hong Kong characteristics, featuring the Tsing Ma Bridge and the cityscape as a backdrop to present a magnificent scene of galloping horses. This achievement demonstrates the students' ability to flexibly apply their knowledge to industry practice and embodies the efforts of HKMU as a university of applied sciences to cultivate professionals with practical skills.
Under the guidance of Mr Yu Penghao, Executive Director of the opening ceremony of the 15th National Games in Shenzhen 2025, the HKMU students were involved in creating materials, including animations and interactive experiences. The participating student team members are:
To pay tribute to Xu Beihong, the “father of modern Chinese painting”, the HKMU students created an animated short video. Inspired by the master's ink-wash painting of galloping horses and incorporating innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, they transformed the classic artwork into vivid digital imagery, revitalising the charm of traditional art through novel digital means. The work is now showcased on the giant LED screens in Sino Group's shopping malls, offering the public an artistic extravaganza that blends tradition and modernity to celebrate Chinese New Year.
HKMU President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, along with faculty and the student team, recently attended the opening ceremony of the “A Timeless Dialogue with Xu Beihong” exhibition, where they witnessed the premier of the animation. Prof. Lam expressed his delight at the students' creative achievements, stating, “Through participating in this creative project, the students were able to step beyond classroom learning and training into a real-world commercial environment, applying their knowledge and gaining valuable experience.” He said he hoped the students would gain confidence from the public's appreciation and recognition of their work, inspiring them to continue excelling in the field of creative arts.
Mr Tin Lai-man, Assistant Professor in A&SS and supervisor for this project, emphasised that the invitation to collaborate with a professional production team reflects strong industry recognition of HKMU's programmes and the student capabilities. He said, “The students' work demonstrates rich creativity and professional technical standards. It successfully integrates traditional ink art with modern 3D and 2D animation, as well as interactive technology. This reflects the University's commitment to nurturing interdisciplinary talent in arts and technology.” He added that the outcome shows that the students have the professional skills needed by industry and are capable of creating professional works appreciated by the public. He thanked Sino Group, the Xu Beihong Art Committee and the Beihong Jingwen Art Research Centre for providing HKMU students with this valuable opportunity to unleash their creative potential and demonstrate the limitless possibilities of art tech.
Student participant Simon Chu Kwun-yin said that presenting his creation to the public gave him a great sense of satisfaction. “Throughout the process, I realised that design requires continually absorbing new styles and learning new technologies, while continuously upgrading our aesthetic ability,” he said. “The greatest challenge lay in integrating the ink-wash painting style into our artwork. We studied a large number of master's work, analysed their elements, and then infused our own ideas into the creation.”
Another participant, graduate Cheung Cheuk-yan, who is now working in the design industry, stated, “We are honoured to have the opportunity to showcase our work to the public. Although the production timeline was tight and full of challenges, I am grateful for the support of my team and mentors. In addition to honing my skills, I gained a deeper understanding of curation and animation production. I will carry these gains with me as I continue on my creative journey.”
HKMU is committed to the educational philosophy of placing equal emphasis on theory and practice. Through offering professional programmes such as creative arts taught by industry practitioners, the University helps students build a solid academic foundation while mastering the latest practical knowledge. The University also actively provides diverse development opportunities, encouraging students to explore various career paths, apply their learning to unlock their potential, and prepare for their future careers.
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