Project brings global designers together to portray Shanghai's unique image
A poster advertises the "SHANGHAI IN MY MIND" campaign.
"SHANGHAI IN MY MIND", an international communication project to promote Shanghai's image, was launched at the ongoing China International Import Expo on November 8, China Journalist's Day.
The initiative, facilitated by the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality, in collaboration with IP SHANGHAI city image resource-sharing platform and Shanghai Promotion Center for the City of Design, aims to collect works from designers at home and abroad to depict Shanghai's unique image and global appeal.
Visual creators are encouraged to present their understanding of and association with Shanghai through artistic and scene-based designs, such as visual communication, graphic design, and digital media art.
The first batch of 15 selected artistic posters, created by Shanghai designers and artists from Denmark, France, Italy and Japan, are on display at the CIIE. The project's global tour is set to kick off in Copenhagen, Denmark, on November 10th.
Some designers whose artworks were shortlisted attended the launch ceremony, sharing how they blended their feeling and understanding for the city into their works.
To Italian designer Alice Melloni,whose design works were selected for the International Paper Art Biennale 2023, rendered Shanghai as a beautiful city where citizens live in harmony with nature. She said she was impressed that in every park around the city every flower was taken good care of by hundreds of people every day.
Her poster, "The flowers of Shanghai",vividly depicts an oasis dotted with beautiful parks that serve as a meeting place for both residents and visitors.
"I want to show the overseas audience something that they cannot expect. So like a green park, I want to get them know that they can have this kind of picnic or a family reunion in this kind of place. It's my daily life here and I want to attract them to come here," Melloni said.
"I am in love with Shanghai, Shanghai is a home for me, so I love everything about Shanghai," she added.
Alice Melloni poses at the booth of the City News Service on the occasion of its one-year anniversary.
Matthieu Rochette Schneide, a French designer and president of Jeunes Entrepreneurs Francophones SHANGHAI, is dedicated to combining international design concepts with Chinese local brands. He believes that art is embedded in many details of Shanghai's daily life and becomes the unique essence of Shanghai, just like the art tiles in the old houses.
His work "Engraved Time" features exquisitely painted art tiles in the old houses, which have been carefully retained and have become bright splashes of color in the houses.
"Engraved Time"
They are the proof of how the local and foreign cultures meet in Shanghai and record how Shanghai steps from its history to today and then to the future, according to Matthieu.
The French designer said his inspiration came from his understanding of both the modern and traditional aspects of Shanghai. "The first inspiration was the spirit of Shanghai. This alive city, dynamic and vibrant city. The second part was for showing the heritage and the longest story of Shanghai," he said.
Chinese illustrator Han Rui's artwork "The Wonders of Shanghai" is also on the shortlist. The urban-themed illustration deals with the direct relationship between the city, architecture, and humanity through the language of art.
"The Magnifestations of Shanghai"
Having worked as an architect, Han revealed his inspiration came from Shanghai's buildings, featuring a combination of architecture and humanities.
"When I thought about how to create an illustration that best represents the urban style of Shanghai, an idea popped into my mind. That is to leverage the relationship between building architecture, nature, and the city in my artwork, " Han said.
The Chinese idiom "海纳百川" was artistically manifested in another shortlisted artwork "City of Tolerance." Its creator, Japanese designer Yoshiaki Osada, said he was instantly fascinated by the idiom "海纳百川" which answered his question: why is this city so beautiful and why this city is so tolerant?
"My design maintains the beauty of the original Chinese characters, while at the same time expressing Shanghai's vibrant, tolerant and diverse city image through the overlapping Chinese characters, " Yoshiaki said.
"City of Tolerance" series
"City of Tolerance" series
The Japanese designer, who is committed to strengthening design exchanges between China and Japan, has lived in Shanghai for 11 years and has a soft spot for the city.
"It is impossible to describe Shanghai in one sentence," he said. "Whenever I hear the Shanghai dialect, I feel very friendly, which lets me know: I am in Shanghai."
The "SHANGHAI IN MY MIND" campaign, scheduled to run three to five years, will collect works through invitations, solicitation, and online and offline promotions and exhibitions.
Japanese designer Yoshiaki Osada
