Prints created by students from Shenzhen Senior High School Group East Campus are on display at the Dawan Ancestral Residence in Pingshan District. Photos from the organizer

More than 160 works — including prints and 3D-printed sculptures by students from Shenzhen Senior High School Group East Campus — are on display at the centuries-old Dawan Ancestral Residence in Pingshan District. The exhibition breathes new life into the Hakka compound, creating a vivid dialogue between history and contemporary art.

The show reimagines traditional culture through children’s perspectives and exemplifies a creative arts education practice that integrates cultural space, schooling, and community engagement.

Using printmaking, digital modeling and 3D printing, some students rendered Dawan’s eaves, doorways and courtyards in striking black-and-white prints that capture the site’s layered light, shadow and patina; some reinterpreted themes from "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" to bring ancient mythic beasts to life; and others incorporated shadow puppetry, paper-cutting and elements of traditional Chinese medicine into whimsical contemporary works — a playful counterpoint to the compound’s sober Hakka architecture.

The exhibition emphasizes participation: visitors can wander corridors and halls and interact with AI installations. By activating the historic compound, the project helps preserve Hakka culture while opening art education to the public — a “protection + innovation” model that keeps intangible traditions alive and accessible.

Dates: Through Feb. 7

Venue: Dawan Ancestral Residence, Pingshan District (坪山区大万世居)

Metro: Line 14 to Jinlong Station (锦龙站), Exit B