Zhao Kangwei

Zhao Kangwei is the Vice President of the Venice International Watercolor Festival Organizing Committee, Honorary President of the Shanghai Association for International Cultural and Artistic Exchange, Doctor of Literature, oil painter, international curator, former President and Chairman of the Artistic Committee of the Shanghai Association for International Cultural and Artistic Exchange, President of the Shanghai Huashen Academy of Painting, and Distinguished Research Fellow at the Center for Contemporary Art Studies of East China Normal University.

In his early career, Zhao Kangwei devoted himself to the media industry, serving in various leadership positions at Shanghai Television and as a Master's thesis supervisor at the School of Film and Television Arts of Shanghai University. A seasoned cultural media professional and cultural entrepreneur, his background as a Doctor of Literature, combined with his extensive experience in media, has endowed him with a broad international artistic vision and a remarkable capacity for cross-disciplinary integration.

During his tenure as President of the Shanghai Association for International Cultural and Artistic Exchange, Zhao Kangwei personally founded and introduced a number of significant artistic institutions under the Association's umbrella, including an art museum, the Shanghai Watercolor Society, the Shanghai Abstract Painting Society, the Jiangnan Painting Society, the Contemporary Art Institute, and the Shanghai Sino-Foreign (Huashen) Academy of Painting. His leadership made an enduring contribution to the advancement of international cultural and artistic exchange in Shanghai, and he has long been recognized for his work in directing large-scale international cultural projects, earning wide respect within art communities both in China and abroad.

In the development of the Venice International Watercolor Festival, Zhao Kangwei and the Shanghai Association for International Cultural and Artistic Exchange have played an indispensable role. The Association has served as the supervising institution of the festival for two consecutive editions, lending the authority of China's most representative international cultural and artistic exchange organization to provide strong institutional backing and organizational support on the Chinese side. Zhao Kangwei himself has delivered a video address at the opening ceremony of two consecutive editions of the festival, conveying heartfelt congratulations and support to participating artists and guests from around the world on behalf of China's cultural and artistic community — a powerful testament to the deep commitment and active engagement of Chinese cultural institutions in this international celebration of watercolor art.