Chen Wei '20 is a Master of Fine Arts graduate majoring in visual communication design. Over the years, he has received numerous awards in international, national and provincial design competitions, and shows great passion for the field.
Design requires constant revision
Art design requires both business knowledge and professional design skills, and Tsinghua SIGS provided an excellent curriculum for that. In the past years, I have been to Anxi county, Fujian to learn about rattan iron crafts which are an intangible cultural heritage, and also visited companies such as Batar Jewelry. Under the guidance of my tutor, I was involved in design projects for the 8th International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians and other major events.
Design requires constant revision, and it is common to experience feelings of frustration during the process. I hope that my designs can not only improve people’s lives, but also help spread the heritage and spirit of Eastern culture.
Chen Wei (first on right) in Anxi County, Fujian
International Exchange opportunities
I was very fortunate to participate in a joint program by the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London in my second year. I met designers from around the world and together, we applied the Double Diamond design process to social innovation to improve designs for everyday life. During winter break, I went to South Korea with fellow Tsinghua students to further our design skills by visiting universities, museums, and exchanging with local designers. I also participated in the Dentsu Innovative Talent Training Camp and learned creative thinking strategies from Japan's Dentsu Corporation, one of the world’s largest comprehensive advertising companies, and won grand prize in the final exhibition.
Joint program by the Royal College of Art, Imperial College London and Tsinghua University
Inspiring reflections
For my thesis project “A New Era for Labeling”, I wanted to address how people tend to attach labels to groups and individuals. Labeling may make us quick to judge a person and jump to conclusions without knowing the facts. After initial research, I turned a series of identity labels into graphic designs, and hope that they can inspire people to reflect on this habit and social phenomenon.
Chen’s graduate project: A New Era for Labeling
Designing to improve lives
Good designs originate from one’s life experiences. I would encourage future graduates to remain observant of people's needs, because our designs may improve the daily lives of many people.
