Exhibition Introduction | Energy and Civilization
Scientific Art: Fusion Future
As the first art museum-level science and art exhibition in the country themed around "controlled nuclear fusion," the exhibition brings together top scientists in the field of nuclear fusion and leading figures in the art world. Through an interdisciplinary perspective, the exhibition combines scientific achievements with contemporary artistic expressions, constructing a complete knowledge chain from scientific questions to artistic representation and public awareness.
On September 14, 2025, at 10:00 AM, a large-scale science popularization exhibition titled "Energy and Civilization - Science Art · Fusion Future," jointly launched by the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Energy Research Institute, and the Hefei Municipal Government, will grandly open at the Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum. As the first art museum-level scientific art exhibition in China themed on "controlled nuclear fusion," the exhibition brings together top scientists in the field of nuclear fusion and leading figures in the art world. Through an interdisciplinary perspective, the exhibition combines scientific achievements with contemporary artistic expressions, building a complete knowledge chain from scientific questions to artistic representation and public understanding.
The exhibition focuses on the iteration of energy technology and the progress of civilization, especially the breakthrough advancements in controlled nuclear fusion technology. It comprehensively showcases the scientific principles of nuclear fusion by constructing a knowledge map across three dimensions: history, science, and art. The historical dimension reviews the evolution of energy technology from the discovery of fire by drilling wood to nuclear fusion, highlighting the challenging journey of China's nuclear fusion research; from the scientific dimension, it provides a panoramic interpretation of the principles of controlled nuclear fusion and showcases the journey of scientific exploration through precious scientific artifacts such as EAST and Tokamak; in the artistic dimension, it transforms abstract scientific principles into visual wonders through massive installation works like "Lightning," "Sea," and "Creating the Sun," stimulating the audience's sensory experience and thinking.
The innovative presentation of the exhibition not only achieves a two-way stimulation of scientific expression and artistic cognition but also allows the audience to intuitively experience the infinite potential of energy through immersive experiences, inspiring people’s imagination and reflection on the future energy era.
< *Opening Ceremony >
Central Academy of Fine Arts, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Institute of Energy Research, and Hefei Municipal People's Government jointly hosted; Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Institute of Energy Research Science and Art Joint Laboratory and Dazhang (Hefei) Cultural Technology Co., Ltd. undertook, jointly launched the large-scale popular science exhibition "Energy and Civilization - Science and Art • Fusion Future" will grandly open on September 14, 2025, at the Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum.
This exhibition has received widespread attention from the fields of science and art, and is also included in the series of activities for the National Science Popularization Month 2025, the series of activities for the Beijing International Design Week 2025, and the series of activities for the third China (Hefei) International Science Art Week 2025.
As the country's first museum-level science and art exhibition themed "Controlled Nuclear Fusion," the exhibition brings together top scientists in the field of nuclear fusion and leading figures in the art world. Through an interdisciplinary perspective, the exhibition combines scientific achievements with contemporary artistic expressions, creating a display method that not only realizes the mutual stimulation of science and art but also allows the audience to intuitively perceive the unlimited potential of energy through immersive experiences, inspiring people's imagination and reflection on the future energy era.
PART.1
Three major dimensions combined with scientific devices:
Immersive experience makes science perceptible and understandable
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This exhibition focuses on the iterative development of energy technology and the evolution of human civilization, with a key focus on the groundbreaking achievements of controllable nuclear fusion technology. It presents a comprehensive integration of the principles of nuclear fusion and artistic expression through a knowledge graph of history, science, and art.
The exhibition features multiple installation works as the core presenting medium, effectively breaking down the disciplinary barriers between science and art, transforming the abstract principles of nuclear fusion into sensory experiences that can be intuitively perceived, thus guiding the audience to deeply reflect on the intrinsic connection between humanity and energy.
Lightning
“Light and Shadow Declaration” on ultimate energy
The installation "Lightning" continues the design concept of Nikola Tesla's coil from the late 19th century, serving both as a tribute to the great inventions of scientific pioneers and as a thread connecting the history, present, and future of energy exploration. Through intense sound and the collision of light and shadow, the work not only visually presents the ultra-high-temperature environment required for nuclear fusion reactions but also metaphorically conveys the deep dynamics of nature through visual and auditory language — akin to the energy forms of nuclear fusion in the universe, allowing the audience to engage in a philosophical dialogue with the "ultimate energy dream of humanity" amidst a shocking sensory experience.
Sea
The “Energy Future” in 50 tons of seawater
The installation "Sea" vividly showcases the future scenario of seawater being converted into energy through 50 tons of artificial seawater, highlighting the immense potential of controllable nuclear fusion and demonstrating its value as an ideal ultimate energy source.
Creating the Sun
“Energy Duplication” in Fibers
The installation "Creating the Sun" uses fiber optic equipment to bring outdoor sunlight into the art museum, and through projection, creates an "artificial sun" with a diameter of 5 meters, not only restoring the energy form of sunlight but also echoing the seawater scene in the exhibition hall, helping the audience intuitively understand the immense potential of nuclear fusion energy. These interactive installations break the traditional format of science popularization exhibitions, constructing a scientific and artistic space that is "visible, audible, and tangible," allowing the audience to shift from "passive reception" to "active exploration."
PART.2
Scientific Artifacts:
Witness the Development Process of Nuclear Fusion
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The exhibition also specially showcases several nuclear fusion scientific artifacts, demonstrating the precision and mysteries of the physical world. From China’s earliest tokamak device KT-5 to the fully superconducting EAST tokamak device, these objects and models record key historical milestones in China’s nuclear fusion research. Since the 1960s, China has initiated research on magnetic confinement fusion, with the tokamak becoming the main research pathway.
These artifacts not only showcase China's significant achievements in the field of nuclear fusion, but also demonstrate how nuclear fusion research drives the development of global energy technology. Through these precious artifacts, the exhibition presents China's leadership position in controlled nuclear fusion research, highlighting the far-reaching significance of nuclear fusion research.
The Song of the Distant Sun
The First AGI Image Documenting China's Controllable Nuclear Fusion
The audiovisual work "The Song of the Distant Sun" is a four-chapter piece completely generated by artificial intelligence, chronicling the historical documentation of the cultural symbols of the sun and the technological vision of controllable nuclear fusion, presenting different practices of 'creating the sun' that transcend time and space. Many of the images used in the work are derived from children's imaginations of 'what future will fusion bring us,' envisioning a future society after nuclear fusion is realized—will trees still need to photosynthesize? Can time be restructured? These innocent ideas intertwine with scientific devices and historical images, generating a guide to the use of science and technology aimed at the future. The vision of an energy utopia and technological reflection exist within this audiovisual work shaped by algorithms. When infinite energy becomes a reality and the human world returns to an ideal state centered on humanity, what kind of new solar chronicle will we write with controllable nuclear fusion?
PART.3
Interactive Exploration:
Exploring the Wonderful World of Nuclear Fusion
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In order to help the audience better understand nuclear fusion, the exhibition has also specially designed multiple interactive segments. For example, participants can engage in the participatory science communication through Fusion Water Droplets · Decoding Civilization (Seawater Card): each participant serves as a transmitter of civilizational energy. Children can experience the technological miracle of "from a drop of seawater to infinite energy" by extracting seawater → activating documentary content → piecing together the energy civilization password wall. At the same time, the exhibition site will also launch a series of derivative products related to nuclear fusion and energy, allowing the audience to continue the exhibition experience and deepen their thoughts on the integration of science and art.
The documentary wall in the exhibition is divided into different historical stages such as the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Industrial Age, and Nuclear Era according to the evolution of energy usage types, showcasing the evolution of humanity's means of energy utilization through this narrative. A core clue runs throughout, which is the continuous enhancement of temperature control capability: from the primitive temperature of fire used in the Stone Age to the precise control of extremely high and low temperatures achievable in the nuclear era, reflecting significant improvement in humanity's mastery of energy with the development of the times.
Exhibition Documentary Wall
This exhibition has been incorporated into the 2025 National Science Popularization Month series of activities and is planned to be held in cities such as Beijing, Hefei, Shenzhen, and will conduct a nationwide tour to promote the cross-regional dissemination of the concept of energy science and art. In addition, the exhibition will continue to deepen forms of science communication such as "Science and Art Workshops in Schools" and "Thematic Cloud Classrooms", further expanding interaction with young people and allowing cutting-edge technology knowledge like nuclear fusion to reach the public in a more vivid way.
The exhibition will run until October 12, 2025. We welcome audiences from all sectors to visit and witness the dazzling sparks created by the collision of science and art!
Energy and Civilization - Science and Art · Fusion Future
Exhibition team:
Academic Advisors: Lin Mao Li Jiangang
Special Advisors: Qiu Zhijie Hu Haomin
Chief Coordinator: Pan Chenghui
Administrative Coordinators: Wu Yajuan Wang Shu
Overall Planning: Wu Zheng Kong Defeng
Exhibition Director: Jin Jun Han Wenchao
Exhibition Coordination: Gao Gao Hai Jun
Curatorial Team: Zhang Zhaohong Shen Xingyi Su Lei Shen Cong Chen Yu Qu Chengming He Qiuyan
Execution Curators: Cai Miaomiao Liu Xiangqi Zhou You Hu Yiwei Wu Yingqi Zhu Zixiu Wu Zhendong Hu Manlu
Exhibition Coordination: Wang Jing Liu Xiyan
Visual Design: Gong Yi Wang Gengyu
Image Design: Liu Jian He Chenxuan
Installation Design: Li Peng Ding Haobin Xu Guangxin Meng Xiangzhong Chen Zhang Wei Zian Wang Chaoqun Xu Hongyun Xiang Nianwen Lü Zengwei Li Chunhua Chen Zhiwei Wang Shulai Liu Zhongbao Xue Feng
Promotional Design: Ding Guanmeng Zhang Luming
Performance Design: Hou Baihui Li Xueying Kong Xiangyu Yang Shuting Ye Xiang
Documentation: Wang Jiahus Jia Xianjing Ma Jiayi Ma Chuxin Zhao Yuhan
Design Coordination: Ji Yujie
Exhibition Management: Su Shicun Jing Peng Lü Zhifa
Media Promotion: He Yisha Wu Jing He Yifei Du Yinzhu Ding Yi
Public Education: Xiao Baozhen Geng Jinghua Wang Jun Yao Yiqun Liang Wen Xi Huakai
Development Promotion: Sun Wei Yi Yi Jin Jianru Kou Lei Liu Xingling
Financial Affairs: Yang Liu Men Jing
Administrative Support: Jiang Siyu Yue Junyao Zhang Qian Guo Xu Chen Xiaohua
Organizing Units:
Central Academy of Fine Arts
Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Energy Research Institute
Hefei Municipal Government
Undertaking Units:
Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum
Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Energy Research Institute Science and Art Joint Laboratory
Big Sun (Hefei) Cultural Technology Co., Ltd.
Co-organizers:
Plasma Physics Institute, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China
Science Popularization China
Department of Sculpture, Central Academy of Fine Arts
School of Experimental Art and Technology, Central Academy of Fine Arts
School of Design, Central Academy of Fine Arts
School of Urban Design, Central Academy of Fine Arts
Scientific Research Office, Central Academy of Fine Arts
Institute of Technology and Art, Central Academy of Fine Arts
School of Design and Art, Beijing Institute of Technology
Future Design School, Beijing Normal University
Special Committee on Science Popularization Culture Industry, Chinese Society of Science and Technology Journalism
Key Laboratory of Industrial Manufacturing Art Innovation Design, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
Supporting Units:
Beijing International Design Week
Epson Light and Shadow Research Institute
Shenzhen Shijue Guangxu Electronics Co., Ltd.
Beijing Original Force Superconducting Technology Co., Ltd.
Jimu Laboratory
Tianyu ARTECH
Anhui Benlun Technology Co., Ltd.
Beijing He Gu Gong Chuang Technology Co., Ltd.
Date
Sep 14, 2025
Location
Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum
Organizer
Central Academy of Fine Arts, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Energy Research Institute, Hefei Municipal People's Government
Partner
TINAYU ARTECH