Fractured Horizons Exhibition Bridges Cultural Heritage and Technology at NYCxDesign Festival

The Fractured Horizons: The Future of Heritage & Innovation exhibition concluded its run as an official International Spotlight Program of the NYCxDesign Festival 2025, bringing together over 50,000 online and onsite visitors from around the world. Organized by VSDesign in partnership with WorldArtExchange and hosted by PI Art Center across its New York and New Jersey campuses, the weeklong summit represented a significant convergence of cultural heritage and emerging technologies.

The exhibition fostered cross-cultural dialogue by connecting designers, artists, and tech pioneers from Asia, North America, and beyond. The event showcased AI-generated art, interactive installations, sustainable design, and immersive scenography, embodying a bold reimagining of artistic traditions in the digital age. This initiative reflects the global expansion of Chinese creativity and cultural identity through design, marking an important moment in the evolution of contemporary art practices.

The opening ceremony on May 15 attracted diplomats, scholars, artists, and cultural leaders, including representatives from the Cultural Affairs Office of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York and John Hwang, President of PI Art Center. The curatorial team emphasized the exhibition's philosophical approach, stating it was "not a spectacle of answers, but an orchestration of questions" regarding how the future begins when industrial heritage meets urban transformation.

Following a global open call that received more than 500 submissions from 21 countries, the exhibition underwent a rigorous six-month preparation phase. A distinguished jury panel including Dominic Terlizzi, Qin Zhao, Jiayuan Wang, and Yiwei Lin selected over 100 works by 72 artists spanning three categories: Renowned Artists, Professional Artists, and New Talent. The selected pieces represented creative voices from nine countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, China, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.

The exhibition's significance lies in its demonstration of how technology can preserve and reinterpret cultural heritage while creating new forms of artistic expression. By bringing together established and emerging artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, Fractured Horizons created a platform for international collaboration and innovation. The event's success underscores the growing importance of cross-cultural exchanges in the art world and the increasing role of technology in shaping contemporary artistic practices, particularly through partnerships with institutions like the Penn Museum and NetEase that champion emerging creatives at the intersection of art and technology.