This week we welcome Wanjing Li, a Chinese graphic designer and artist based in Boston and New York. She specializes in web design, experience design, space installations, and typefaces.
Her personal practice explores graphic form as a means of cultural translation, creating shared spaces for communities and memories. She aims to build supportive and immersive experiences that promote social good. She is a recent graduate of BU’s Graphic Design BFA program.
Her project “In Search of Feminism and Identity in Asia” explores the nuances and evolution of modern feminism within Asian cultures, particularly focusing on the perspectives of Asian Gen-Z females. In the past ten years, the concept of feminism has gained visibility within Asian public discourse, coinciding with the period in which Gen-Z Asian women are developing their identities and transitioning into adulthood. This timing has enabled them to contribute significantly to the dialogue on feminism. Through graphic design, “In Search of Feminism and Identity in Asia” acknowledges the distinct challenges and progress of feminism within Asian cultures amidst increasing global cultural exchange. It encourages more discussions on this topic within Asian social settings and cross-cultural dialogues, fostering an inclusive understanding of feminism.
“Through interviewing twelve Gen-Z females from Asia, I gained insights into their views on feminism within their social contexts. These discussions helped me understand how they comprehend, perceive, and react to feminism and gender inequality. A notable observation was the association of “feminism” with radicalism and a misconception of it as advocating for female supremacy in Asian cultures, contributing to its negative and taboo perception. As the concept of feminism and awareness of gender inequality spreads, a noticeable gap emerges in the understanding of these issues not only between Asian Gen-Z and their Gen-X parents but between genders as well.
Artist’s statement:
I blend research findings, personal reflections, and creative processes across multiple formats, including publication, web experience, conversation curation, and video art. I experiment with integrating a visual language using a diverse mix of Asian aesthetics spanning from the 1950s to the 2000s.”
See more of Li’s work on her website and Instagram.
See more of our artist profiles here.
