From 6 Continents to Jing’an Shenyuli: Meet the Finalists of Shining Shanghai 2025

Since its debut in 2023, the Shining Shanghai (Jing’an) International Light Art Open Call has rapidly become China’s leading international projection mapping event and a hub for global artistic exchange. The 2025 edition, themed “Luminescent Roots: Stories of Home,” aims to express cultural identity through light with immersive audience experience.

This year’s concept submission has successfully closed on July 5, with 154 submissions from 145 artists across 29 countries and regions of 6 continents—many of whom have been featured in major light festivals such as the Circle of Light and Lyon Festival of Lights, and recognized at global competitions like Tokyo 1 Minute Projection Mapping and iMapp Bucharest. Compared to its inaugural year, the number of participating artists in 2025 has nearly tripled, reflecting the open call’s growing international influence. The enthusiastic response from both Chinese (62 artists) and international studios (83 artists) highlights the global recognition and creative energy that “Shining Shanghai” continues to inspire.

The Finalists (in alphabetical order):

• AOTOO Studio (China): Tuphis
• Atmosphere Studio (Russia): Chudo Yudo
• Cheese_Trap Studio (China): At the Lattice, Stillness in the Flux
• CTC Lab (China): Cardinal Chroma
• Designlab (Tunisia): Oum Ezzine Woven Into History
• John Tettenborn & Kourtney Lara Ross (Germany): TAP
• Jonas Denzel (Germany): Echoes of Expression
• Kati Katona (Hungary): Essentia
• Los Romeras (Spain): Red Soul
• MetanoiaCreatives (Czech Republic): Crystalia
• MUMA Island (China): Luminelf
• MP Studio (Bulgaria): Peperuda: A Ritual for Rain
• NAOS Studio (Ukraine): REBIRTH
• neba studio (Macau): Homeland of the White
• NeonLab (China): Starlight Illusion
• PSI-Mediadata (Russia): KOLO
• SAM (China): Light-Cell Respiration
• co (Indonesia): Variation Pink
• Summer & Co Studio (Thailand): Lightseed of a New Dawn
• The Fox, the Folks (Indonesia): Bhoma—EarthPulse

The final jury meeting will take place in person on September 17 in Shanghai. All selected works will be exhibited at Shenyuli from September 29 to October 8, coinciding with China’s National Week.

Stay tuned for this dazzling celebration of light art!

For more details, visit the official website: shiningshanghai.com and follow on Instagram @shining_shanghai for updates.