Women In Motion launches mentorship program in China

Kering
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Kering for Women
Women In Motion
Women In Motion launches mentorship program in China

Group

Women In Motion launches mentorship program in China

Women In Motion launches its first mentorship program in China that supports women artists aged under 35 who are actively pursuing a creative career. This program seeks to promote dialogue between young talents and established artists as well as bolster creativity and showcase emerging artists. Below, an overview of the program and its inaugural session.

Introducing the first Women In Motion mentorship program

In 2023, Women In Motion continues its commitment to women artists the world over with the launch of its first mentorship program in China. This program aims to establish a platform for the next generation of emerging women artists to express themselves and learn from the experience and insights of experts. The event includes roundtables on the value of art for individuals and society at large, as well as discussions about the creative process and career strategies.

Applicants must be under 35 years old and actively pursuing a creative career. Selection criteria includes academic background, years active, creative expression and professional achievements. Creative fields include but are not limited to visual arts, performing arts (dance, theater), film arts, music (classical and contemporary), literature, architecture and design.

At the first session held in Shanghai on January 9th, Women In Motion selected 15 artists. To mark the occasion, Women In Motion organized a mentorship encounter between finalists and three established women artists: the lyric soprano Huang Ying, the contemporary ink artist Peng Wei and the modern dancer and choreographer Duan Ni.

Supporting young artists

Launched at the Festival de Cannes in 2015, Kering's Women In Motion program highlights women’s contributions to culture and the arts. Initially focused on cinema, the program has since expanded to include photography, music, choreography, art and design.

Through its many partnerships worldwide, the program recognizes emerging talent and celebrates creative women across disciplines. To this end, Women In Motion reaffirms its conviction that creation is one of the most powerful vectors for change and achieving gender equality.

The 2023 Mentors

Peng Wei

Contemporary ink wash artist Peng Wei is widely celebrated for expanding and subverting classical Chinese ink painting by placing history and traditional techniques in a dialogue with contemporary practices in international art. By layering personal narratives across time, geography, and tradition, her work examines cultural identity, intellectual inclusivity and issues of gender and sexuality. Since 2000, she has completed numerous series executed across artistic mediums such as painting, installation, video, and photography while remaining grounded in the format and materiality of Chinese ink painting tradition.

Huang Ying

A renowned lyric coloratura soprano and opera artist, Huang Ying is the first Chinese vocalist to perform the leading role in the feature film of the opera Madame Butterfly. Since then, she has appeared in opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, the Cologne Opera House, the Royal Theater of La Monnaie in Brussels, Belgium; the Danish Royal Opera and China National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Duan Ni

A dancer and choreographer, Duan Ni was the first Chinese modern dance dancer to be invited to perform by international companies worldwide. She has trained at the Modern Dance Choreography Department of Beijing Dance Academy (Guangdong branch) under contemporary dance pioneer Yang Meiqi and has performed with the Jin Xing Dance Theatre in Shanghai, the Akram Khan Dance Company in London, and Shen Wei Dance Arts in New York. In 2008, she co-founded the TAO Dance Theater, for which she is the Artistic Director. In 2021, she participated in the first edition of the Women In Motion at West Bund project to celebrate women’s creativity in dance and choreography.

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About Women In Motion

In 2015, Kering launched Women In Motion at the Festival de Cannes with the aim of shining a light on women in filmmaking, both before and behind the camera. Since its creation, the program has become an essential focus of the Festival, expanding to include the fields of photography, music, choreography, art, and design. Through its annual Awards, the program recognizes inspirational figures and young talents, while its Talks provide an opportunity for leading personalities to share their views on women's representation in their profession.