Zhehao
Li

I am a 16-year-old boy, and a senior high school student in Chengdu, China, I have been interested in art since the primary school. In the past 10 years, I have been studying painting with a local artist. I find myself in love with painting, and would like to immerse myself in painting as long as possible. I view painting as a type of spiritual relaxation, and I could have a deeper conversation with myself during painting.  

During my study in painting, I spend most of my time practicing the basic skills of painting, and also learn about the art history. I like both classical art and contemporary art. When I travel, my favorite activity is to go to local art museums and galleries, which helps me better understand not only the art, but also the culture and history of a place. That is what I did when I visited Kyoto, Japan last year, and London, England this past summer. 

Renaissance art is one genre that impresses me deeply. I have been studying the works of Michelangelo, Da Vinci and many other artists from that period. Industrial design and architectural design are another two genres that interest me greatly. I was exposed to those designs about three year ago, and I have since been attracted by communications between the products and the designers. The essays of Kenya Hara, the exhibition of Naoto Fukasawa, the products of Starck, as well as  the architectures of Zaha Hadid have all inspired me. Gradually, I have started to constantly observe and “feel” the design of many things in my everyday life, from what people wear, to new products in shops, and to buildings arising around me. 

Two years ago, I did my first design — a vase. Inspired by the flowers arrangement at home, and some simple thoughts about the relationship between the process of flower arrangement and the vase, I made some changes on the structure of the original vase. Around the same time, I finished reading the book, “The Design Of Everyday Things” by Donald A Norman (2015), and I learnt more about emotional design. Then I started my second project — a chair. I tried to use a unique structure on the back with cushions. The main feature of this design is to give the user a feeling similar to a hug through dynamic changes during the process of sitting down. Moreover, this structure may also increase the flexibility of the chair.