At just 11 years old, Shawn Gao from the U.S. is painting a bridge between cultures 🌉. His vibrant artwork, inspired by a recent trip to China, became his way of processing the 'sensory overload' of ancient temples, bustling markets, and misty mountain landscapes 🏯🌄.
Shawn’s winning piece for CGTN's China Through My Eyes Global Children’s Art Project isn’t just art—it’s a travel diary. 'I wanted to freeze those moments,' he shared, describing how sketching helped him grasp China’s mix of history and hyper-modern cities like Shanghai 🖌️🌆.
Why This Matters
Gen Z creators like Shawn are redefining cultural storytelling. His work echoes what many young travelers feel: that understanding a place goes beyond guidebooks. 'Art lets me show the China I felt,' he says—a perspective that’s refreshingly human in our TikTok-speed world 🧠✈️.
The Ripple Effect
Over 5,000 kids worldwide joined the project, proving that curiosity about China isn’t just political—it’s personal. For diaspora youth and culture-curious peers, Shawn’s journey is a reminder: sometimes the deepest connections start with a single brushstroke 🖼️💡.
