Queue outside the Guangdong Museum. Photo: Wenlei Zhang
Launched in 1992 in Shenzhen Graphic Design in China 2011 (GDC) was the first large-scale graphic design event in the China region. Over the past two decades it has grown and has become one the most influential graphic design festivals in China with activity happening all over China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The theme for GDC2011 was "Design for China’s Future", GDC11 and the programme was formed of a series of activities over 6 months in 2011, including competition, forums, lectures, award ceremonies, exhibitions and publications.
As part of the series, the British Council partnered with Shenzhen Graphic Design Association (GDC11 Committee) to invite Mark Porter (Former Creative Director of The Guardian) and Sean Perkins (Director, NORTH) to participate as judges for the GDC11 competition and to give two public talks in Guangzhou and Shenzhen in December 2011.
The talks in Shenzhen and Guangzhou were really popular - in Shenzhen the Guan ShanYue Art Museum auditorium was packed with over 200 people, while many more stood outside to watch the talk streamed live on screen.
The next day in the New Guangdong Museum, a long queue of more than 400 people appeared alongside the north gate long before the talk kicked off.
Design is a common language that contributes to effective Sino-UK cultural exchange and knowledge sharing and the response from designers, media and the general public was that they found the talks very inspiring and useful.
Sean Perkins said of the events “I had an incredible time in China and would like to do more in the country. I found the events inspiring so I'm actively thinking of what next and how I might work or interact in that area again.”
