This version of The Guest is by Kzeng Jiang, the first Chinese artist to join the creative universe of this iconic character. The work of the Shanghai-based designer reflects the contemporary culture of Asia in in vibrant, radical illustrations. Kzeng seeks to render his cultural roots through symbols of traditions like Chinese facial painting or flower painting from the Song dynasty, reinterpreting these elements in his own personal style. In this case, for instance, he is portrayed with three big eyes on his face which, according to Kzeng, “allow him to see the past, present and future as if he were a messenger travelling through time.” As regards color, Kzeng chose blue tones on the white porcelain to ensure a sense of visual harmony and balance. He then combines these colors with touches of golden luster in order to convey the sensation of prestige associated so closely with ancient Chinese porcelain. The end result is a creation that captures the elegance of porcelain in a conceptual and contemporary design.
