Grad Show 23

A white timer with a grey bezel and semi-transparent dial

Jian Li

Food, Drink, Time New Year And Cloth

My project uses traditional Chinese calligraphy culture and my own family stories created five daily use products to help my user find a sense of belonging to Chinese culture and also introduce my culture and stories to all audiences.
As an international student who came to the US, I have often struggled with a lack of cultural identity and belonging. This is a common issue faced by many who choose to leave their homes and venture to new places. However, I believe that we can overcome this by creating products that generate an emotional connection with their users.
Calligraphy is the art of language, and language is always the most important and basic part of a culture. Despite the change of dynasties, the art of calligraphy has always been a heritage that has been passed down in the long history of China.

Scoonsh

Elastic Resin / Resin
2022

The first product is called Scoonsh, the story behind it was my parents’ expectation of me to grow stronger and healthier. As a child, I was a picky eater, and my parents often struggled to get me to eat. This is a common issue for many families, as parents want their children to grow up strong and healthy. To make food more appealing to kids, parents have tried various creative strategies over the years, such as shaping food into cute animals or adding decorative touches like a red dot on top of a bun. This got me thinking: could calligraphy writing be used as a similar "cheating" technique to make food more fun and interesting to eat? In other words, could food be used as a canvas for people to write on, turning mealtime into a creative activity?

One white and one black cup mat with Chinese letters on it

Moisten

Acrylic, Photo paper
2023

The second product is a cup mat that has a Chinese character on it that means “grow”, my parents always enhance the importance of drinking water. Whenever my parents see me drinking beverages, they always tell me to drink more water instead. And usually at home, they will pour me a glass of water from time to time for me to drink. This behavior of delivering water always makes me realize how much my parents care about me. “Water brings life to everything” They always said that, and that inspired me to use the reflection of the water to design this mat. After you put the water into your cup, the pattern on the bottom will flip and become a growing plant.

Zhou & Ye

Polarizing Film Sheet / Plastic / Arduino / Metal / Resin prints
2023

Time is a valuable and limited resource that should be utilized effectively to achieve personal and professional goals. I remember when I was a child, my parents bought me a red onion-shaped timer to help and remind me to pay attention to time so that I could use my time effectively. For example, you can watch TV for an hour after practicing the piano for two hours. The ticking sound of the timer reminds me that time is passing. The ringing bell will remind me of the end of a certain time. Zhou Ye borrowed such a background story, but in a less aggressive way, reminding users of the passage of time through the change of day and night in the ink landscape.

A white dip sauce dish with a black Chinese character in it

Nian Wei

Ceramic Resin
2023

Chinese New Year is the most important festival of the year, and it is also a festival for me and my family to reunite. My parents would drive back to my hometown to reunite with other relatives. Making dumplings and eating dumplings together is the most important part of our family's New Year every year. The taste of dumplings and soy sauce is not only the flavor of the new year but also the love between my family. Nian wei sauce dish is inspired by the word “Nianwei” which means the flavor of New Year. By pouring more soy sauce for the dumplings, the bolder the font gets and the stronger the flavor of new year tastes.

A hand holding a white and grey lint roller

Lint Scroll

Resin 3D printing / Spray glue / Vinyl
2023

Last but not the least is about the clothes. Whenever I am gonna attend an important meeting or an interview, my mother would always tell me to dress carefully, always reminding me to dress up so that I looked educated and well-bred. Every time, she will help me wash the clothes I need for the next day one day in advance, and use the iron to help me remove the wrinkles, so as to ensure that I can appear on the occasion when I need them. In China, whether a person looks educated or "bookish" is a very important criterion, and Lint Scroll allows users to complete an unexpected "calligraphy work" while cleaning their clothes, making you more intellectual