Topic:

History of graphic design in China

Brief description:

The mid-1980s saw the introduction of the phrase "Graphic Design" to China, marking the start of the current Chinese design movement's globalization. It initiated a new scientific education mode of Visual Communication and, on the one hand, changed the traditional graphic design curriculum taught in universities, making "decorative art" and "practical art" obsolete. It also increased the competitiveness of design in the recently opened commercial market, forcing graphic design and commercial development to coexist and thrive simultaneously.

The early 1990s witnessed the start of China's visual design and global integration. During that time, the designs of Taiwan and Hong Kong continued to make a significant impact on the Chinese mainland. Designers such as Henry Steiner, Kan Tai-keung, Alan Chan, Lin Pang-Soong, Wang Xu, and others shared their design expertise with one another, greatly contributing to the design of the Chinese mainland. Shenzhen was a frontier for the reform and opening up policies because of its proximity to Hong Kong, and willingness to embrace experimentation. This attracted many inland city entrepreneurs who were just starting out in the new graphic design era to establish the Pearl River Delta's design industry. Nearly all of the contemporary graphic designers have a strong foundation in traditional art studies. Despite a hesitant start, mainland China's graphic design developed considerably after ten years and quickly integrated into the global graphic design scene thanks to their dedication and appetite for design specialties.

Biography:

Yu Yuequn received his doctorate in design from the China Academy of Art in 2016. His field of interest is the comparative analysis of contemporary Eastern and Western graphic design. At the moment, he is working at Zhejiang University of Technology. He lectures on information graphic design, typography, and typefaces.