Designer of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Ceremony Gives Public Talk at UCF 3/13

Han Lixun, designer of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Ceremony, will give a public presentation at UCF on March 13. The world-renowned designer will share his design experiences; anyone interested in hearing about the design process, from conceptualization to realization, is invited to attend.

His presentation will last one hour with a fifteen-minute period for questions and answers. The talk will be held at the Performing Arts Center Theatre building in the Large Design Room (PAC T-119, Room 244) from 3-4:30 pm on Wednesday, March 13. The event is free and open to the public. No ticket is needed.

In a profession which many believe is struggling to survive, he thrives; Han Lixun, the chief designer for 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony, is visiting the United States to present his work and to speak with university students. He will reveal the ins and outs working behind scenes of the Ceremony with some of the most well-known figures in contemporary arts world.

From conceptualization and bidding to material and technical choices, from contextualizing the design in a given space to the collaboration with architects and engineers, from experimentation on mechanical, multi-media and lighting devices to testing the validity of his visual modeling, from what were not realized in the Ceremony to what has happened in China's design tech world after the Ceremony, his presentation will provide students with insight into China's historical inventions and contemporary culture, including its politics, ethics, aesthetics, technology and the world of design. He will discuss ways to meet today's societal demands in the field of arts, illuminating students with career building skills and strategies.

Graduated as a scenic designer from Shanghai Theatre Academy, China in 1985, and later studied the art of space design at Art Academy in Dusseldorf, Germany (under Karl Kneidl), Han's career spans from theatrical design, to event design, interior design, theme-park design, public art, art installation and site specific theatre. As an artist, he had solo exhibitions in China National Museum of Art, Saarland, Western Germany, Nanjing History Museum and German Embassy in Beijing. In the field of design, he worked on drama, opera, music concert, musical and most frequently, grant-opening events throughout China. His most influential work includes 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony, China Symphony Orchestra Special Concert in celebration of 50th anniversary of United Nations, Shanghai International Trade Fairs Beijing Week and the Opening Ceremony of Forth East Asian Games.

Currently, he is working with pianist Lang Lang and French music composer Alexandre Desplat on a music-visual conversational performance in Paris and Shanghai, as well as preparing for the opening ceremony of the upcoming East Asian Games. As a scholar, he taught at Shanghai Theatre Academy and later lectured at some of China's best schools such as Nankai University, Qinghua University, Beijing Dance Academy, to name a few. His first book published by Qinghua University Press will be released at the end of 2012.

Mr. Han's two-week U.S. tour will include residencies at Kennesaw State University, State University of New York at Buffalo, University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Central Florida, as well as meetings with theatrical and theme park designers/technicians.

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