On May 25, 2021, the 3rd Italian High School Art Biennale, Pursuing Da Vinci, jointly planned and organized by the Enzo Rossi National Art University of Rome, Italy and the International Joint Initiatives ASBL, officially opened.

Rolando Meconi and Maria Assunta Palermo of the Italian ReNaLiArt Technical Science Committee, Danilo Vicca, Director General of DGOSV, Ministry of Education, Mariagrazia Dardanelli, Director of Rome Liceo Artistico “Enzo Rossi” and President of the ReNaLiArt, Michel Genovese, Honorary President of the ReNaLiArt and the International Joint Initiatives ASBL, Rachel Qin, Executive member of the International Olymp'Arts Committee and President of the International Joint Initiatives ASBL, all attended the opening ceremony.

Guests at the opening ceremony delivered their respective keynote speeches, including “Contemporary Leonardo Da Vinci,” “The Biennale’s Experience in the Challenge of the COVID-19 Epidemic,” and “Calling on Da Vinci in the Present.”.

Ms. Rachel Qin, Executive member of the International Olymp'Arts Committee, said in her speech at the opening ceremony: “Leonardo da Vinci was an outstanding genius, artist, engineer, painter, musician, and polymath in many other fields. His infinite curiosity and creativity have made him the most perfect representative of the Renaissance. What needs to be pointed out is that Da Vinci is an artistic whole very worthy of our study, and a way of thinking to help us study the reality around us. This international art selection event around the theme of  “Pursuing Da Vinci” clearly maintains the double connotations of such artistic inheritance and development.”

“Pursuing Da Vinci” was the exhibition theme.  Works included paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics and other art forms, aiming to express how we could pursue Leonardo’s footprint in creativity, art and science. Participating authors were required to take inspiration from Da Vinci’s genius methods of observing natural environment, analyzing the shapes of animals, plants, characters, and considering scientific common sense and operating mechanisms related to proportions in human space as well as ergonomics.

These works were not intended to deliberately imitate Da Vinci, but to understand the research and innovative spirit behind his thoughts and apply them to the design of art works as conceived for the needs of the present era.

At the award ceremony, Mariagrazia Dardanelli, Honorary President of the ReNaLiArt, presented awards to the winners from the new design section, while Rolando Meconi, a member of the New Design Science and Technology Committee, presented awards to the winners of the 3rd High School Art Biennale.

This 3rd Art High School Biennale brought together representative works from many countries and regions including China, France, Israel, South Korea, Estonia, Morocco, Russia. A total of over 2,000 art school students submitted their entries.

It is reported that the “Pursuing Da Vinci” Italian High School Art Biennale, jointly organized by the Italian Ministry of Higher Education, the State Administration of Educational System Evaluation and the National Art Academy Network “ReNaLiArt”, has been successfully held twice. The exhibition has won the active participation of artists, art school teachers and students from dozens of countries and regions. These exhibitions have achieved complete success and have been recognized by the Italian government at a high level.

The purpose of this exhibition is to actively promote the exchanges and developments in international culture and creativity, to enhance overall artistic value and exert a positive impact on the youth all over the world, so they can better display their talents and interact with each other.

The Italian High School Art Biennale was scheduled to be held in Rome, Italy in May 2020 but was postponed to May 25, 2021 due to the Pandemic. The exhibition, selection and awards were held online.

The opening ceremony and award ceremony are available online at tinyurl.com/biennalenewdesign2020.