Xuan Cheng is a designer and data analyst with a passion for exploring the intersection of culture, media, and data, or, as someone once said, “a clump of redwood trees of insane culture-technology nerdery.” Xuan is currently the research designer at Technology, Humans, and Taste, and is responsible for exploring innovation opportunities across Fortune 500 brands, intergovernmental organizations, and global startup communities. Xuan holds a degree in visual communication design from Tsinghua University in Beijing and a master’s in Design for Social Innovation from the School of Visual Arts. She currently resides in New York.
Thank you for joining us, Xuan. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a designer and data analyst, with a passion for exploring the intersection of culture, media, and data.
My professional journey is a dynamic blend of roles— I’m the data analyst and designer at Technology, Humans, and Taste [THAT], a creative innovation company that creates brand-new solutions for brands and people in a world filled with unsolved problems. Our clients include Fortune 500 brands like Pepsi and Sony, intergovernmental organizations like the UN, and global startup communities. Notably, our endeavors encompass the creation of immersive experiences such as Immersive Van Goah and NFT.NYC. Within this dynamic environment, my role involves the analysis of multifaceted datasets, employing innovative methodologies to distill complex information into “human” insights.
Beyond this corporate realm, my endeavors extend into the realm of publishing, collaborating with entities across mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao. Since 2020, I’ve been the Chief Designer at Cherry Fruit Culture in Macao— the most popular Chinese queer novel publisher boasting a following of 155,000 on Chinese social media platforms. Within this domain, we’ve earned acclaim for our distinctive design ethos and captivating illustrations.
What ideas are you exploring in your practice? How do you stay creative in your design process?
The main focus of my design practice is exploring the emotional connection between humans and media. I worked as an editorial designer for queer novels. All my work features a strong focus on emotional intimacy.
An example of this is the book I worked on called The Pearl. The main challenge of the book is how to convey a sense of healing after traumatic events. The protagonist in the book is broken after experiencing domestic violence during his last marriage. His violent experience left not only physical scars on his neck but also emotional scars on his heart, which almost prevented him from pursuing a new relationship. However, the book chronicles his journey of finding the courage to love again with the support of his boyfriend. I was particularly struck by the theme of healing through the power of love and chose to represent this visually through the motif of fragmentation and integration. The book also features the characters’ unique love language, which involves watching movies together at home. As a result, my editorial design is dedicated to creating a sense of movie nights. The title page of the book takes the form of a movie poster, with an exposed scar as its focal point. The design of chapter title pages resembles the UI of projectors, using elements like grids and play buttons. Each chapter title page shows an important scene of the chapter randomly in the grids. On the final chapter page, all the pieces come together to indicate that the protagonist has finally fixed himself and has the courage to start a new home.
Our writers are incredible and diverse, each bringing forth captivating narratives spanning a broad spectrum of themes. My journey with them has encompassed projects rooted in the worlds of pilots, bands, actors, and more. This eclectic mix has been an enriching experience, allowing me to delve into diverse realms beyond design and literature.
Working alongside these authors, I’ve embraced a continuous learning journey. Each project has offered insights and knowledge extending far beyond the realms of design and literature. It’s been an odyssey of discovery.
Do you have a mentor that influenced your practice?
I don’t often refer to them as mentors, but rather as a close-knit community of creatives and artists. Each of us brings unique insights, fostering an environment where we frequently exchange critiques and provide mutual support to one another.
One is my lifelong friend, Junyu Lin, who has been accepted into numerous international illustration awards. Her portfolio includes the publication of several picture books, with an annual sales record exceeding 30,000 copies. Our collaborations have been instrumental in my growth, benefiting from her invaluable insights into the realms of illustration and publishing.
Another is a dear friend from my high school, Yuyi, a talented designer and artist who masterfully intertwines storytelling within visual and spatial dimensions. Her unique approach to storytelling merges space and narrative seamlessly. While I’ve struggled with 3D objects, her guidance and teachings have significantly expanded my understanding of this domain. Her expertise has been an invaluable source of knowledge and inspiration.
What does “community” mean to you? How do you see yourself in a community?
I find my creative journey deeply rooted in curiosity and community. I started my career as a multimedia designer early when I was still in college, and while I was working with the craftsmen community in China on an app showcasing the evolution and heritage of handmade paper, I developed an interest in both information design and printed matters.
Even after I got the job as a data analyst, my creative journey continued as I embarked on a path of supporting female writers in designing their books, initially as a volunteer project. Within this domain, I witnessed the blossom of feminism through their narratives which resonated with my artist’s instinct and my love for the community. So instead of creating empty beautiful artifacts, I focus on authors’ perspectives on ideal relationships and how they challenge gender expectations, weaving in their personal histories and passions. These elements come together to create the visual world of the printed book. To me, a printed novel is a parallel of storytelling, where the author’s written words are presented with graphics, textures, and sounds that subtly influence readers. I want to design keys to authors’ inner world.
And I believe this deep alignment with writers and their narratives is the reason behind their appreciation for my work. As they shared my designs on the internet, my name began to echo across online platforms. My designs caught the attention of numerous publishers, which led to freelance opportunities with them, allowing me to further expand my impact within the Chinese queer literary sphere. After I started as the chief designer at Cherry Fruit Culture, a queer publishing house in Macao, I helped them develop a fanbase of 155,000 followers on Chinese social media.
Even amidst my professional strides, I maintain a commitment to volunteering for emerging writers, driven by a desire to remain inspired which will always fuel my creative journey.
What are you working on right now?
Currently, my focus is on a significant project titled Kuang Quan. This book delves deeply into the lives of two actors immersed in a film centered on ALS. Drawing from my personal connection to ALS, a condition I witnessed my uncle and his family battle during my childhood, I felt a profound motivation to intertwine two thematic narratives: the realm of filmmaking and the poignant realities of ALS. Leveraging silver printing to evoke the cinematic essence, I collaborated with the author to reimagine cherished scenes as script excerpts, vividly translating their cinematic visions onto the first and last pages of the book. In contrast, the portrayal of ALS was conveyed through black and white watercolor, capturing a blend of sorrow and ambiguity, reflective of my uncle’s memory.
Another book I just finished was Tailhook. It’s about the romantic story between two pilots. The work was a blend of emotions and imagery, creating a tapestry of vivid sensations rather than concrete portrayals. Reading Tailhook felt akin to a lyrical poem, and I sought to experiment with infusing that poetic essence into my creation. So my objective was to infuse an overarching sense of romance over rationality.
The author pictured a canvas teeming with expansive imageries for me: the tumultuous waves of the boundless sea, an airplane piercing through stormy clouds to behold a resplendent rainbow, and the ever-changing canvas of sunrise and sunset witnessed together, as well as the ever-shifting clouds outside the window. So for the cover, I drenched in what I perceive as the most romantic shade of blue, which features an aircraft carrier’s sketch layered amidst cascading clouds, epitomizing a tender allure. Transitioning from a scenario of a J-15 jet losing control to the graceful descent with a tailhook, the chapter pages are an embodiment of an artistic endeavor, shaping the essence of poetic romance with an undercurrent of rationality. Beyond the cover’s primary imagery, the back cover showcases a hollowed-out depiction of a rainbow-tinged tailhook, while the altered strokes and texture within the inner covers exude a deliberate attempt to evoke the poetic sensation while expressing the LGBTQ+ theme. These elements meld together, bringing the embodiment of poetic sentimentality closer to the essence of a poetic masterpiece.
Within the accompanying postcard designed for the book, I sought to encapsulate a poignant moment—a window into the protagonist’s world at sunset. The illustration captures the tranquility of the protagonist’s bedroom as the sun dips below the horizon. Reflecting on the window’s glass, a plane gracefully traverses the sky, symbolizing the characters’ intertwined destinies. Infused with romantic nuances, the scene depicts elements that speak volumes about their love story: the protagonist’s favored beer, a box of Valentine’s chocolates purchased for their partner, and a set of paired watches—an emblem of their shared journey. Employing vibrant and evocative hues, I aimed to channel the depth of their passion, evoking an ambiance reminiscent of a scene from a heartfelt movie. This postcard serves as a visual encapsulation—a cinematic snapshot frozen in time, capturing the emotional depth and romantic essence of the protagonists’ connection.
Is there any advice you would like to share with others?
My advice is to keep creating without allowing worries to hold you back. Each completed project, whether through personal endeavor or collaboration, leaves an indelible imprint on your journey. These experiences contribute to your growth which can be the lessons gleaned directly from the work or the insights gained through collaborative efforts, whatever it is, it’s going to be useful someday. Every detail you work on will become part of your creative muscle memory. They silently weave themselves into your being, ready to resurface in your subsequent endeavors. So try to make as much as you can.
text & photo courtesy of Zoe Liu
recommended by Junyu Lin
- Website: https://xuanch.me
