Author: BACKWALL Editorial Team
Interview: Tan Xiaozheng (Editor-in-Chief, BACKWALL)
Interviewee: Xiong Yanze (Artist, Designer)
Location: Sichuan Women and Children Center, Chengdu
At the Sichuan Women and Children Center on Tianfu Third Street in Chengdu, an exhibition blending traditional culture with contemporary art is quietly unfolding. Here, among showcases of intangible heritage like incense ceremony, flower arranging, and tea culture, stands a unique voice—artist and designer Xiong Yanze.
His series MiaoHua draws inspiration from the baoxiang flower, mandalas, and Western sacred geometry, weaving together a spiritual visual language that bridges Chinese tradition with international design. Educated in London with dual bachelor’s degrees from the London College of Communication and a master’s from the Royal College of Art, Xiong studied under design legend Neville Brody and once taught graphic design at CAFA’s international foundation program. He has worked on projects with Alexander McQueen, the British Library, the V&A, and designed the full identity for the London China Design Centre. Since returning to China, he has collaborated with brands like Wuliangye and Xijiu, promoting an aesthetic dialogue between East and West. In 2019, Tatler magazine listed him among China’s “Top 100 Rising Talents.” More recently, his art practice has expanded into cross-disciplinary shows, such as fusing his work with air system concepts at Amana Gallery to present a new dimension of “energy aesthetics.”
This interview with BACKWALL Editor-in-Chief Tan Xiaozheng dives into his creative path, brand practice, and reflections on cultural communication.
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From London to Chengdu: The Dual Identity of Artist and Designer
Xiong’s journey began at 19, when he was accepted into CAFA’s international foundation program after starting formal art training only in high school. From 2013 to 2015, he studied graphic design at the London College of Communication, focusing on branding and communication. His thesis—On “Self-Knowledge” in Confucian Thought and “Positioning” in Brand Design—was archived by the school, and he was one of only two students awarded an extra degree for professional practice.
Over eight years in the UK, he grew from undergraduate to postgraduate. After graduating in 2016, he joined Landor Associates, working on international brand upgrades for companies like Huajian Group, Shougang Park, and Tongrentang. Later, as design director at the London China Design Centre, he oversaw its full rebrand and researched how institutions like Japan’s Nippon Design Center projected cultural heritage abroad. From 2018 to 2020, he studied at the RCA under Neville Brody, diving deeper into the question of how Eastern culture is presented globally.
“In the UK,” he recalls, “education emphasizes concept over technique. Software evolves, but critical thinking and independent learning stay with you. The point is to find problems and solve them—skills that matter deeply in creative work.” Compared to China, he found British design culture more focused on personal creativity and execution, while China leaned toward pragmatism and problem-solving. But he also notes how quickly Chinese design has matured in recent years.
Returning to China during the pandemic, he taught graphic design at CAFA’s foundation program from 2021 to 2023. “Teaching was like looking back at myself ten years earlier—helping students understand the industry’s rules. But times are different now; they face new challenges, like AI.”
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The MiaoHua Series: Energy Channels and Self-Healing
The heart of Xiong’s practice is his MiaoHua series, which first emerged around 2018–2019 in London and has since evolved. In September 2023, it debuted in Chengdu at Southside Space as an immersive environment resembling a “future jungle ruin.” In July 2024, it was installed at the Sichuan Women and Children Center as part of an intangible cultural heritage program.
“MiaoHua combines baoxiang flowers, mandalas, and sacred geometry,” he explains. “I create these works in mountains and valleys, using painting as a tool for self-healing. They act like energy channels—gemlike from a distance, yet full of intricate details up close.”
The name itself came from meditation: “Miao is uniquely Daoist—youthful and mysterious at once. Hua means flourishing and balance, as in Huaxia or Jinhua. Together, it transcends any single motif while embracing all.”
For him, the patterns tap into something universal: “From Native American to Egyptian art, symmetry pushes us to think about ultimate questions. Human bodies, flowers, beehives—all are symmetrical, all connected.”
MiaoHua has also extended into a lifestyle brand, JiPin, translating its visual energy into objects like luggage, scarves, and cups—making “energy aesthetics” part of everyday life.
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Design Practice and Entrepreneurial Lessons
As a designer, Xiong has worked widely: from advertising collaborations in the U.S. since 2016, to brand projects with Wuliangye and Xijiu, to designing artist Xu Bing’s website in New York, visual identities for Ryoji Ikeda’s exhibition, and the UK’s immersive dining theater The Flavour Explorers.
On entrepreneurship, he’s candid: “I’m a founder, but not good at operations. Our team is under ten people, with an operations officer handling business. Early on, I tried too many categories—like building a Muji-style brand—but it scattered my energy. Now, I prefer licensing and co-creation.”
He reflects, “Artists talking business can feel awkward. My hope is to share healing energy through IP licensing. Many people cry in front of my work—that’s the vision.”
On social media, he notes: “I once had 130,000 Weibo followers, but later deleted the account. Back then, I shared naturally, but later I focused on spiritual exploration. Now I try platforms like Douyin, but it feels like being pushed into it. Personal IP is important, but it needs a mature image. I’ll just go with the flow.”
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Cultural Confidence and Looking Ahead
Deeply influenced by Chinese philosophy, Xiong has long integrated traditional ideas into design. His undergraduate thesis paired Confucian “self-knowledge” with branding concepts. “Hua in Huaxia comes from patterns and ornament—it represents advanced thought. Design is a universal language that can amplify cultural value.”
He sees the rise of “Guochao” (China chic) as proof of growing cultural confidence, but insists it needs to go deeper: “It can’t just be decorative mash-ups; it has to reach the essence. Japan does this through food and art, embedding culture in daily life. China needs its own positioning—what do we bring to the world? Real peace comes from understanding each other, and design, art, and commerce are keys to that.”
Xiong’s exhibition record is extensive: Guangzhou Moten Art Fair 2024, solo show Qi Sheng Hua Kai at Amana Gallery in Chengdu, Pride of China at Shanghai Baolong Art Museum in 2021 alongside Yang Fudong, his 2020 RCA graduation show where Xiaoyao You was acquired by Fabien Baron, and experimental exhibitions in London.
For young designers, his advice is pragmatic: “The future won’t be about rigid disciplines, but about solving problems with combined skills. You need to understand business, human nature, the internet. Sharing is up to your personality, but in this age of information overload, restraint and focus are vital.”
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Closing Thought
Like his MiaoHua paintings, Xiong Yanze’s career blooms at the intersection of tradition and modernity, East and West. His work extends beyond the canvas into daily life and cultural communication. In a time of rapid change, his story challenges us to ask: how can design reshape China’s image in the world?
(This article is based on interview recordings and public sources. For more, visit Xiong Yanze’s website or see the exhibitions in person.)