Hong Kong Design Centre Presents “Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process”

2nd Exhibition of DESIGN SPECTRUM

• Nearly 100 Titles from Asia Featured in Touchable Book Design Exhibition
• Workshops and Forums to Unleash Imagination on Reading

HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach – 16 October 2019 – Design Spectrum, the new design initiative organised by Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) with the sponsorship from Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government), is showcasing Asian design philosophy in four thematic exhibitions at 7 Mallory Street, a Grade II Historic Building in Wan Chai. Approaching halfway through the quadripartite programme, the second exhibition entitled Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process is slated to welcome visitors in a cosy respite from the hustle and bustle, where an extraordinary reading experience unfurls in a new touchable book exhibition.

“Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process” exhibition will display over 80 titles from across Asia and more than 500 design magazines from different countries and regions, Visitors can touch and leaf through the exhibits to soak up their beauty in a multisensory experience conjured by designers through use of colours, fonts, typography, formats and more.

Experience Regional Design Cultures in 100+ Titles & Projects from Asia

From now till November 17 2019, “Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process” exhibition, curated by cross-disciplinary design practitioner and seasoned international exhibition curator Amy Chow, will display over 80 titles from across Asia, each one a creative feat in its own right.  ‘Book design is not just about the cover. It involves the designer as a conduit for the author’s message, all the while in close collaboration with the publisher to elevate the reading experience and entice readers,’ Amy comments. As opposed to the usual book exhibitions, visitors can touch and leaf through the exhibits to soak up their beauty in a multisensory experience conjured by designers through use of colours, fonts, typography, formats and more. The exhibition puts into perspective the art of the creative process in book design and offers a new dimension to the pleasure of reading.

Exquisite examples on display include Hong Kong Old Shop II with an unconventional structure that binds together two books and a cover in different sizes. A Study on Hong Kong Beiwei Calligraphy & Type Design , on the other hand, is a 6-year research on the type design of Hong Kong. The book comes with a mini metal plate with the Chinese character ‘永’ (eternal) etched on it to demonstrate the intense and powerful brushstroke of the Hong Kong Beiwei font.

In addition, visitors can also explore Asia’s design scene through more than 500 design magazines from different countries and regions, alongside examples of space, product or font design for reading. Rare exhibits such as Indian and Malaysian works offer a full-spectrum examination on Asian creative cultures, which transcends geographical, disciplinary and age boundaries.

Over 10 Young HK Designers Redefine Reading Culture

With a progressive vision of heritage, Design Spectrum taps young local book designers to showcase their magnum opuses. Among them are 10 creative minds including: the award-winning young designer Hei Shing Chan; MV director Orange Chan, who collaborated in the production of the films Ten Years and Mad World ; Frank Lo who specialises in creating three dimensional illusions through interactive printing technology; Mak Kai Hang, who studies the role of font in urbanisation and design, with a view to preserving local cultural heritage; Jacky Tong, the author of the award-winning title What We Deserve on environmental protection and animal rights; Vincent Yiu who works on book design and cultural projects; Renatus Wu, whose passion for books culminated in his intrepid move to forsake a stable job for an independent publishing business; Leumas To, the curator of Ping Pong collective comics magazine who is also a frequent featured artist in international art exhibitions; Benny Au, a graphic designer and curator who incorporates green message into his design codes; and ‘Anothermountainman’ (Stanley Wong), the award-winning art, design, photography and advertising maestro whose Red White Blue series helps promoting positive messages in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Design Centre invites the public to take a closer look at the efforts of these young creative minds to give books a new and unconventional dimension.

A Walk through Nanjing’s Blooming Publishing Industry

Curator Amy Chow visited Nanjing, the publishing capital of China, for “Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process” exhibition, meeting leading figures in the industry, including Professor Cao Fang from School of Design at Nanjing University of the Arts, and four leading book designers in mainland China, namely Zhao Qing, Pan Yan-Rong, Zhou Chen, and Qu Wen-Min. Their insights shed light on the publishing capital and how its cultural milieu fosters the city’s bibliophilic lifestyle. This original documentary will premiere in the exhibition, offering a precious chance for all interested parties to delve into the publishing industry of mainland China.

Exciting Events to Enrich Collective Cultural Imagination

In addition to celebrating the creativity and contribution of Asian book designers, Design Spectrum will also organise a series of free activities, including screenings, workshops and sharing, to promote the culture of creative reading. Five young local designers, namely Hei Shing Chan; Orange Chan; Roger Ng; Renatus Wu; and Sunny Yuen, will co-host the “Designer Sharing on Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process” to exchange ideas on book design concepts and thereby encouraging a fruitful cultural dialogue. In parallel to the exhibition, Design Spectrum will host a special screening of Hanzi , a documentary about Chinese font design and its role on reading and everyday life. What’s more, free guided tours will walk visitors through the exhibits and their design concepts along the exhibition path at the Gallery on the ground floor and the Exhibition Hall on the 3 ^rd floor. Details of the exhibition and activities are listed on the appendix. For tour registration and details, please visit www.designspectrum.hk.

Attachment 1: 

Event Happenings of “Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process” Exhibition presented by DESIGN SPECTRUM

Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process

Designer Sharing on Open Page: The Art of the Creative Process

Screening: “Hanzi’

Design Workshop for Public: Create Your Unique Zine!

Book Reading Journey for Parents & Kids

IDK Design Thinking Workshop: The Art of Communication

For more information, please visit https://www.designspectrum.hk/.

Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organizers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, CreateHK, the CreateSmartInitiative Secretariat or the CreateSmartInitiative Vetting Committee.