Ann Xiao interviewed by 360 Magazine

设计师-Ann Xiao  (source:Ann’s Blog)

www.annxiao.com and ann@annxiao.com

一下的背景?  

我来自中国生于北京,十几岁时画过很多年漫画,后来建筑学学士毕业,并当过插画师和旅行记者,现在在伦敦生活工作,做各种和动画有关的事。

当初是什么因素促使到国外深造的? 

我一直喜欢伦敦。上小学的时候我哥哥就给我听披头士和平克,高中和大学时期非常迷恋英式摇滚和Trip-hop,一直都是英国的音乐,当时就梦想要为这种音乐画画。后来又接触了很多英国的插画,服装和设计,心里认为是世界上设计最强大的城市,就理所当然的更想要去伦敦。然后就来了。

踏足英国敦的候遇到什么困后来是怎解决的? 

困难遇到不少。首先是我自以为英文还不错,就没上语言班,来了英国直接上硕士课,才发现专业语言听懂很难,和导师交流有障碍。一年的学习花了不少时间在适应语言上面,还是有缺憾的。生活的问题主要是伦敦太昂贵,一边学习还要一边打工,省吃俭用,那一年过的肯定远远不如在家那么舒服。心理上也做了不少调整,我去伦敦的时候还没有什么中国人学设计,谁也不认识,没有集体,没有亲友投靠,自己常一个人在一个巨大的繁华城市游荡,不晓得自己的位置在哪里。后来认识了很多朋友,心情就舒展多了。

Continue reading ‘Ann Xiao interviewed by 360 Magazine’

Yang Du interviewed by Dazed Digital

A designer who indulges in surrealist collections featuring knitted pork chops and monster face jumpers.

Text by Robbie Spencer  Text by Katie Shillingford   |   Published 12 November 2008

Yang Du, 30, Chinese, Womenswear/Menswear/Knitwear/Print - anything that would work for the concept.

Where did you study and why did you decide to study there?
Central Saint Martins. Like many others, John Galliano was my inspiration.

Which city do work in and for what reason?
London. There isn’t any other place like London; its fun, creative, and unpredictable!

What films/books/tv-programs/moments and stories inspire your design now?
The most challenging film I have ever seen is ‘Taxidermia’ by Gyorgy Palfi, I still couldn’t get over with some of the shocking images after a year.

In your own words describe your last collection.
It is fun, relaxing and sexy.

Describe the moment you realised you wanted to be a fashion designer?
It was like have a reason to be in life, but I wasn’t known I was taking such risk of a life time.

Who is your all time fashion idol?
Franco Moschino.

In a sentence how would you describe your work/style?
The surrealism arts and theories have huge influence on my work.

Continue reading ‘Yang Du interviewed by Dazed Digital’

Ann Xiao And Tiantian Zhu’s Short Film@Kings Place Opening Festival


Between the Lines from ann xiao on Vimeo.

CDR animation director Ann Xiao ( www.annxiao.com ) and sound designer Tiantian Zhu( www.z-tt.co.uk ) has collaborated for the first time to complete an audio visual film “Between the Lines” about London Kings Cross area. This piece is commissioned by SPNM ( www.spnm.org.uk ), a South bank based New Music organization. The first performance will be given at the opening festival of the new art center King’s Place ( www.kingsplace.co.uk ).

The film has shown the traditional, industrial as well as academical qualities of Kings Cross. Ann has captured all kinds of elements from historical and modern Kings Cross area and mixed the elements into surrealistic scenes in the film. It provokes our memories, emotions, and imagination across time. Tiantian’s sound design brings the audiences into an imaginative environment. The subtle, ambient sound has led the listeners lost in their memories.

To preview this piece, please visit here:
Between the Lines
http://www.vimeo.com/1796768

Booking details:

King’s Cross in sound and on film
Venue: Kings Place, Hall Two
5.15-6pm
5th October, Sunday, 2008

Featuring Steve Reich’s action-packed City Life performed with new film of London by the 18-piece Contemporary Music Group from Trinity College of Music, alongside new pieces about King’s Cross devised for this event by four dynamic young film-makers and composers: Tian Tian Zhu & Ann Xiao and Mark Atkinson & Leslie Deere.

Tickets on sale: £2.50 online, £4.50 offline

Click here for more details.

Click here for a map of the location.

About King’s Place Opening Festival

Running 1-5 October 2008, the Opening Festival at Kings Place offers 100 concerts in five days, with some 30 different ensembles invited to play three or four 45-minute concerts each. These short concerts run in parallel in the two Halls, offering 10 performances each day in each hall (20 concerts in all). The seats for all events at the opening festival are £4.50, or £2.50 if booked online.

Please click HERE to see the OPENING FESTIVAL BROCHURE.

Continue reading ‘Ann Xiao And Tiantian Zhu’s Short Film@Kings Place Opening Festival’

Shan Jiang solo show in Antwerp

Shan Jiang solo show in Antwerp

Shan Jiang solo show in Antwerp

Shan Jiang@Antwerp
12th Sep – 31st Oct 2008

Location:
AVENUE
Lange Klarenstraat 29/31, Antwerpen
www.avenuestore.be  

Exhibition curated by Belgium artist Eva Cardon from Ephameron

The Tale of Despereaux

Congratulation to CDR member animator Lei Chen who has been participating on animation film ‘The Tale of Despereaux’ which its trailer has just been released. The film is due to open in the US on 19th December 2008. Can’t wait for Christmas!

For more information on the film, please visit Framestore’s website
http://www.framestore-cfc.com/#/News/TheTaleofDespereaux,

or visit the website for the film. (You can download screensaver picture above from below link)
www.thetaleofdespereauxmovie.com

High-res versions of the trailer can currently be seen on the Framestore website
http://www.framestore.com/despereaux_trailer/index.html

Another trailer link:
http://www.movietrailertalk.com/2008/06/the-tale-of-despereaux-mouse/  

Alternative youtube!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH9pBu3myaw]

‘Green Earth’ - Graphic Design Competition

green earth
international graphic design competition

CALL FOR ENTRIES
international graphic design competition.
following the success of last year’s ‘love your earth‘ competition,
designboom and the DA design association japan have joined together,
along with TOBU DEPARTMENT STORE to organize the ‘green earth’
international design competition.

participation is open to applicants from every country in the world,
to professionals, students, and design-enthusiasts.
free registration required.

more detail, please see http://www.designboom.com/green_earth.html 

Chopstick Bag

Chinese DIY Designers Fight Single-Use Chopsticks
by Sean Leow (PSFK Shanghai)


An estimated 25 million trees and bamboo plants are used each year for the flimsy, single-use chopsticks that you can find in almost every Chinese eatery. While single-use chopsticks may be a convenient option for restaurant owners and patrons alike, there is a small group of Chinese DIY designers and young environmentalists who are taking initiative to counter their use.

One such group called “Unigreen” has made an open offer online to hand-stitch a free chopstick / soup spoon holder for anyone who pledges to only carry reusable chopsticks. Grassroots initiatives from the younger, more environmentally aware generation in China may signal a small but meaningful shift in thinking away from China’s current consumption habits.

“Unigreen” Designers Against Single-Use Chopsticks Event Page

Sound Message Board_Photos by Luo Hao

Continue reading ‘Sound Message Board_Photos by Luo Hao’

Cutting Edge_Audience_photos by Luo Hao

Continue reading ‘Cutting Edge_Audience_photos by Luo Hao’

Cutting Edge_Designers_photos by Luo Hao

Continue reading ‘Cutting Edge_Designers_photos by Luo Hao’

Jing Zhang’s illustration on coverage of Computer Arts issue 150

Chinese Designers’ Region(CDR) member Jing Zhang has been invited as a special contrbutor for ‘Computer Arts’ issue 150. Her illustration work has been featured on the coverage of issue 150. See link

Computer Arts - China inspried

AnnXiao_V&A Friday Late Night Photos

 

Liu Lei and Ann Xiao

Wang Zhe and Ann Xiao

Andrew Pok_CDR Cutting Edge@V&A

Andrew Pok @Cutting Edge

Earlier testing on cutting the magazine papers.

My earlier concept sketch.

Spontaneous 3-D butterflies cut-out by members of audience using used magazine papers provided by the artist. The cut-outs will be displayed on the pillar 2-D Chinese ornament pattern designed and pre-cut by the artist using the paper provided by the organizer Some of the butterflies will gradually transform from 2-D into 3-D The whole design will fit into the box of the existing mosaic pattern on the V&A museum’s floor.


Continue reading ‘Andrew Pok_CDR Cutting Edge@V&A’

2008 “我们在一起”华人设计师抗震救灾公益海报设计活动

2008 “我们在一起”

全球华人设计师抗震救灾大型公益海报设计活动

发起单位:  中国红十字基金会  新浪网  北京工业设计促进会  视觉中国网站
承办单位: 
视觉中国网站
创意图片支持:
华盖创意
联合发起单位:
各大设计机构,设计院校 ,设计企业,各大媒体等(名单另行列出)

活动日程:
2008
516 发布征集公告并启动全国宣传推广活动;
2008
516日起,因灾区和各大媒体急需优秀海报作品,个大家尽快提交作品,作品征集暂时不设截稿时间;
2008
516日起,作品推广和采用,组委会对参加作品随时推荐给灾区政府、公益机构新闻媒体等采用、展示和宣传;
2008
7月,组织设计师,设计机构,设计媒体等去灾区慰问并协助开展灾后重建工作。
2008
年下半年,大赛评审团(名单另行公布)将对所有参加作品进行评审,确定终评获奖名单,并在媒体和官方网站上公布获奖名单。

Continue reading ‘2008 “我们在一起”华人设计师抗震救灾公益海报设计活动’

CDR在创意中国周五之夜

CDR创意中国周五之夜

 

创意中国展是今年春夏季度伦敦V&A博物馆(维多利亚和阿尔伯特博物馆) 的主打展览,全面介绍近20年来的中国当代设计,涉及领域跨越建筑,平面,服装,摄影,动画等。展览期间,博物馆举行了一系列与中国设计有关的附属活动,包括专业讲座,服装走秀,学生交流和周五之夜。“Friday Late Night”周五之夜是V&A博物馆每月一度的公众互动活动。V&A博物馆的委托,CDR –录盘(见注释)策划了两公众互动节目在627日的创意中国周五之夜: 包括“Cutting Edge – 创意剪纸“Sound Message Board – 声音留言板

 

Cutting Edge的策划人建筑陈海亮召集了十几位居住在伦敦的中国设计师参与剪纸设计。设计师都来自不同背景,有平面设计师,建筑师,插画师,动画师,服装设计师等。Cutting Edge要求设计师每人设计一套主题剪纸样板,形成‘剪纸长龙’与博物馆地面现有的西式马赛克纹样相映成趣;主题有孙悟空游伦敦中国的小桥池塘马俑十二生肖红灯笼等。周五之夜,V&A博物馆印度展厅前面的走廊两边铺上两行几米长的红色黄色纸卷,英国公众由设计师引导共同参与设计塑造纸面上的中国城市与中国印象。

 

纸活动比预期的还要受欢迎,英国人的耐心和投入精神让中国设计师们也感叹不已。走廊上几十个参与者拿着剪刀,刻刀裁减着各种各样的造型,参观者不计其数,非常热闹。很多剪纸都是可以立起来的三维效果,活动到了尾声,走廊上已经可以看到林立的剪纸模型,而且充满了中国特有的喜庆气氛。

 

CDR的会-声音设计师朱甜甜与平面设计师史源共同制作了声音留言板的装置。两个半透明的板子与麦克和电脑连接,在板子上面敲击写字的声音会被放大并产生奇特的声效。板子上投影的七巧板动画更加与声音有互动效果,任何敲击的声音都可以激发七巧板随机排列。这个有趣的实验装置吸引了很多人来观看和留言。

 

:

Chinese Designers’ Region (CDR)

录盘 (驻英中国设计师联盟)2006年成立,以英国为基地伦敦为中心的CDR是一个从事实验性,跨专业设计的中国设计师联盟。通过聚会,座谈,授课,展览等方式展示作品,希望以此建立一个合作讨论艺术的交流平台。创始人包括 陈海亮(William Hailiang Chen),肖艳菲(Ann Xiao) ,全珊珊和鲍磊等。目前的负责人是陈海亮,肖艳菲和王浙。

 

Cutting Edge – 创意剪纸

项目策划: 陈海亮

参与设计师: 岳蓓, 陈海亮,Stephanie Foy, 贝蒂, Chloe Liu, 刘磊, 潘岩, 傅宗文, 孙家碧, 谭美芳, 汤震宗, 王浙, 许苏苏, 闫颜, Can Can Yang, 艳菲和张静等。

 

Sound Message Board – 声音留言板 

声音设计: 朱甜甜

平面设计: 史源

制作顾问: 许苏苏

别感谢: Li Cheng, Xu Lu Ming, Simon O’Donnell, Edward Steed, Chris Carter and Wenxuan Pan.

Chinese Designers’ Region@V&A

CDR @ V&A Museum
As part of varied programmes and events to complement China Design Now exhibition, currently CDR is commissioned by V&A Museum to participate Free Schools and Colleges Event on 26th June as well as Friday Late Beijing event on 27th June.

CDR would like to thank for all people involved in the event. Specially Shanshan Quan, Wenxuan Pan who has put tremendous amount of energy and time on helping organising the event as well as Lei Bao who is responsible for CDR identity design, Gigi Chang and David Judd from V&A who gave this opportunity to CDR.

Cutting Edge
Room 47c
18.30-22.30

Pick up a pair of scissors and join William Hailiang Chen and members of Chinese Designer’s Region in creating this cut-paper installation. Inspired by traditional Chinese paper-cutting and responding to the mosaic floor throughout the V&A, Continue reading ‘Chinese Designers’ Region@V&A’

CDR@V&A Colleges Event

Chinese Designers\' Region at V&A Colleges Event Continue reading ‘CDR@V&A Colleges Event’

Cutting Edge_Site@V&A

Continue reading ‘Cutting Edge_Site@V&A’

Japanese Traditional Stencil Design

Continue reading ‘Japanese Traditional Stencil Design’

Beijing_Fridaylate@V&A Museum

va_fridaylate_beijing