Exploring the proposition that (pace Helen Macfarlane, Marx’s first English language translator of Capital) ‘a hideous labubu is haunting Europe – the proletariat’, Boom, Labubu explores refunctioning of the commodity and the détournement of soft power as a way to talk about genocide when it’s been made illegal to speak out. 

The song as presented is a hypothetical and minimal iteration of the project’s maximal programme, which was to provide Dua Lipa and Charli xcx with material for a new collab that could shift the Overton Window a little for opposition to Zionist subsumption of western (and not so western) culture, in solidarity with the Palestinian cause and emancipation of Chinese and UK workers.

  

The college hosted an international academic lecture entitled "Hypothetical Imagery: Reconstructing the Context of Platform Reflexivity".

On the morning of April 16th, the academic lecture "Hypothetical Images: Reconstructing the Reflexive Context of Platforms," hosted by the Faculty of Aesthetic Education of Jinan University and organized by the School of Fine Arts and Design, was successfully held in the Fourth Teaching Building. Professor Benedict Smoker, a senior lecturer from Goldsmiths, University of London, was invited as the keynote speaker, and Associate Professor Zhang Xiaojuan from the School of Visual Communication Design of Shandong University of Arts and Design served as the interpreter. More than 100 people, including members of the college's leadership team, relevant faculty members, and undergraduate and graduate students, participated in the learning, exchange, and discussion, jointly exploring the critical and practical paths of image creation in the social media era.

At the beginning of the lecture, Sang Shuguang, Assistant Dean of the College, warmly welcomed Professor Benedict Smoker on behalf of the College. He emphasized that in the context of the digital age, the combination of imaging and cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence is not only an inevitable trend in the development of disciplines, but also an important path for cultivating interdisciplinary innovative talents. He hoped that teachers and students would seize this opportunity for international exchange to inspire their scientific research and creative inspiration.

In his keynote speech, Professor Si Mo shared his insights on video creation in the social media era, elaborating on his creative methods and core concepts, and using representative works such as *You Make Me Feel This Way (1917)* and *Boom! Labubu!* as examples. He delved into the creative logic behind his works, discussing real-world issues such as platform capitalization, the UK cost of living crisis, and the current state of higher education. He explained how to use zero-budget visual expression to integrate images, music, and text to construct speculative fictional narratives, thereby reconstructing the mainstream media context and reimagining media forms. Professor Si Mo's use of images, music, and text to construct speculative fictional narratives, and his approach of reconstructing the mainstream media context and reimagining its form, brought new perspectives to the school's faculty and students.

During the interactive session, faculty and students actively asked questions, engaging in lively discussions with Professor Si Mo on current hot topics and the challenges of cross-cultural video storytelling. This lecture, grounded in the forefront of art development in the digital age, focused on in-depth reflections on new media imagery and platform culture, providing faculty and students with an international perspective and cutting-edge academic inspiration. This lecture not only effectively broadened the artistic horizons and creative thinking of our faculty and students but also further promoted international academic exchange and interdisciplinary integration within the college, injecting new momentum and expanding new pathways for academic research and talent cultivation in areas such as integrated painting, contemporary art, digital imaging, and art education practice.

Written by: Zhai Qingqing; Edited by: Li Xin; Reviewed by: He Guiliang

‘Lecture Review | Benedict Seymour: Hypothetical Imagery—Reflexive  Reconstruction in the Platform Context Reconstruction in the Platform Context

On the morning of April 28, 2026, the college held an academic lecture entitled "Hypothetical Imagery: Reflexive Reconstruction in the Platform Context" in Lecture Hall 301. Benedict Seymour from Goldsmiths, University of London, was invited as the keynote speaker, and Ms. Zhang Xiaojuan served as the translator. The lecture was moderated by Professor Zhang Hua, and the atmosphere was very lively with active participation from faculty and students.

In his lecture, Professor Si Mo systematically analyzed the new changes in video creation on social media platforms, using the contemporary digital media environment as a starting point. He pointed out that with the continuous strengthening of platform mechanisms, the production, dissemination, and reception of images are gradually being reshaped by algorithmic logic and capital structures. Against this backdrop, images are no longer merely one-dimensional tools of expression, but have become a complex practice embedded in the platform system, capable of both reflection and response . This led him to propose the concept of " platform capitalism . " Professor Si Mo presented several works, including * You Make Me Feel So (1917) * and * Boom, Labubu! *, using examples from his own creative work, and explained in detail his creative ideas and methodologies. In these works, historical images, online materials, and popular culture elements are reassembled, forming new narrative structures through cross-temporal dialogue. He emphasized that this creation is not simply collage or appropriation, but rather an exploration of an expression that lies between fiction and reality, constantly testing the relationship between images and reality.

In addition, Professor Si Mo shared various possible paths for contemporary video creation from a practical perspective , suggesting that the integration of music, text, and visual elements can allow works to not only respond to social issues but also maintain an open and flexible form of expression . At the end of the lecture, Professor Si Mo engaged in an interactive discussion with the faculty and students present on issues such as video creation and international exchange.

This lecture focused on cutting-edge issues in the contemporary media environment and film practice, providing students with a new perspective on understanding the creative logic of the digital age and expanding the academy's ideas for teaching and research in the field of new media art.

Text and photos by Ye Cong
Initial review: Zhang Hua
Reviewed by: Zheng Ting
Final review: Long Wei’