Hangzhou, China

On 15 October I flew to Hangzhou, China (a beautiful and prosperous “modest-sized” city in the Yangtze River Delta with a population of 6.5 million) to participate on the jury of the 1st China International Poster Biennial, 2003 along with Yu Bingnan, Chen Shaohua, Michel Bouvet, Ralph Schraivogel, Wang Yuefei, and Zhao Yan. This first international poster biennial organized in China drew submissions of 2070 posters from 520 designers in 40 different countries. Posters winning top awards can be viewed on Rene Wanner’s Poster Page here. For more information re: the Biennial, visit www.cipb.org

Wuxi, China

After several days in and around Hangzhou, a small party of us headed off for the opening of the “Mark X” International Poster Show 2003 in the city of Wuxi, a half-day drive by bus. As described by the organizers, the School of Design, Southern Yangtze University, the exhibition’s theme “Mark X,” acts as “a totem representing the unknown, denoting the rebellious spirit… the unknown is like the other shore for the boat of creativity… only by taking a new perspective can one peek at the future.” The pomp and ceremony of the opening event was taken in by large and very enthusiastic crowds. I felt privileged to have been named the event’s Honorary Director, and to have had the opportunity of participating in this memorable undertaking. An attractive book catalogues work of merit and award-winning pieces.

I had the opportunity to give lectures at the design schools in both Hangzhou and Wuxi on this trip, and was both surprised and humbled by the packed auditoriums and keen questions asked by students.