The Sixth International New Media Art Triennial officially opened on Friday at the Huairou campus of the Beijing Film Academy. Themed "Prime Matter and Memory", the triennial showcases the cutting-edge works of over 100 artists worldwide.

The exhibition features a wide range of artistic expressions, from futuristic and sci-fi to digital reinterpretations of traditional Chinese arts. Using highly creative new media languages, the artists create an immersive dialogue bridging reality and the digital realm, connecting history with the future.

Before the opening ceremony, faculty and students from the academy's School of Fine Arts presented a cross-media performance titled Prime·Language, which transported the audience into a parallel space where cyberpunk aesthetics intertwine with Eastern artistic sensibilities.

At the ceremony, Yu Jianhong, vice-president of the academy, encouraged students to leverage this international platform to broaden their horizons and strive to become artists capable of defining the future through new media and languages.

"In an era of AI transformation, the triennial reminds us that, despite technological iterations, the core of art maintains a focus on humanity and a commitment to cultural roots," Yu noted.

The theme embodies dual meanings — "Prime Matter" represents both fundamental mathematical units and cultural genes, while "Memory" reflects collective experiences continually written through media transformations and intelligent evolution.

Wang Zhi, dean of the School of Fine Arts, explained, "Through this theme, we aim to anchor intellectual weight in an era of technological acceleration, tracing back to the foundational logic that shapes our cognition and expression."

The exhibition revolves around three interconnected themes: Transforming Boundaries — where digital prime matter meets traditional media, challenging historical perceptions and uncovering hidden cultural and power dynamics; Recursive Memory — exploring how algorithms allow memory to evolve independently, becoming computable and self-propagating; and World Construction — envisioning a "future archaeology" in which advanced technologies generate models that bridge virtual and real worlds, highlighting the potential of human-machine collaboration and symbiotic futures.

Liviu Taranu, director of the Romanian Cultural Center in Beijing, praised the triennial as a significant platform for interdisciplinary and international dialogue. He emphasized that the exhibition reminds us that every algorithm, frame and immersive experience is grounded in profound cultural foundations, merging Eastern and Western wisdom.

As a pioneer in new media art education and practice in China, the Beijing Film Academy has long upheld the philosophy of "technology empowering art, culture sustaining innovation". Since initiating international exchanges in 2004 and formally establishing the triennial in 2008, the event has grown into a high-level platform integrating exhibitions, seminars and teaching, showcasing works from over 40 countries and regions across six continents.