Liminal Printed Matter: The Unstable Visibility of the Book Form in Contemporary Chinese Independent Art Publishing Practice
Yunqi's research aims to explore the deconstruction of the book form of independent art publishing, especially when it is under a liminal, subcultural status, due to policy and popular perception in China (Millichap, 2014). Independent art publishing in China refers to a passive marginal printed matter between large-scale artist books and small-press pamphlets (Clark, 2015; Thoburn, 2016). As a handheld narrative installation for easy dissemination and reproduction, it follows the communication characteristics of printed media and the alternative visual aesthetics of artist books. It is active based on not only specific temporary practical sites (i.e., art book fairs or alternative art book stores) (Millichap, 2014; Steinfeld, 2017) but also practitioners' unconscious control of the visibility of the book form.
Meanwhile, as Thoburn mentions, when “print matter" becomes "an alternative expression form of text” (Thoburn, 2016), many possible dangers can thus be avoided because of the various interpretations and ambiguity of the content and form under the special practical scenario of China. Meanwhile, art book fairs and alternative bookstores provide a temporary place for audiences to interact with authors (Poletti, 2005; Radway, 2011; Thoburn, 2016), blurring the boundaries between selling and displaying. It makes not only the legality of displaying independent art publishing in China possible but also ensures more direct conversation with audiences and where the immediacy of communication is more possible than other channels of expression (i.e. mainstream books that lag in communicating with readers because of the time required for censor and official release).
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More about Yunqi
Biography
Yunqi Peng (b.1998) works as a graphic designer and independent art publisher under the pseudonym of ‘CheapBall’ in social media, alternative bookstores and art book fairs. With text, typography and graphic languages as visual methods, she uses independent art publishing and art book exhibitions as her main avenues of intercultural and subcultural practice.
Degrees
Master of Art in Visual Communication, Graphic Design Pathway, Royal College of Art, London, UK, 2022
Bachelor of Art in Graphic Design and Art Direction, Visual Design Pathway, NABA Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, Milan, Italy, 2020
Bachelor of Fine Art in Visual Communication Design, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 2020
Experience
Guest Speaker, Memes and Manifestos: the Visual Communication of Contemporary Art, Perk Summit, 2023
Guest Speaker, Manifestos from Everyday Life, Lu Junyi Design Live, 2022
Academic Director in Communication Section, Is Contemporary Art in the Public Domain an Adventure?, RCA China Forum, 2022
Guest Speaker, Design with a Fragmentary Context, abC (art book in China) Art Book Fair, 2021
Guest Speaker, Rolling in the Paper, Good Art Festival, 2021
Guest Speaker, The Fact that the Paper Exists in Reality is the Greatest Advantage, ZZCETISTAR, 2021
Guest Speaker, Yunqi Peng's work, Galaxy CG, 2020
Guest Speaker, Nudity, Potty and Banana on the Wall: an Introduction to Conceptual Art, Perk Summit, 2020
Awards
Prize Nominee Works, Tokyo TDC (Tokyo Type Directors Club) Annual Awards 2023, 2023
Annual Experimental Publication Design Award, Award 360°, 2023
Annual Graduate Design Award, Graduate 360°, 2022
Excellent Work, Tokyo TDC (Tokyo Type Directors Club) Annual Awards 2022, 2022
Bronze Award (Student Group), GDC: Graphic Design in China Award, 2021
Exhibitions
Art and design exhibitions
(2024) ABNORMAL: The Gravity of Type, Tiantai Art Museum of Future Society, Guangzhou, China
(2023) Tokyo TDC in Berlin, Center for Visual Arts, Berlin, Germany
(2023) Tokyo TDC in Hangzhou, X sign Space, Hangzhou, China
(2023) Award 360° Annual Design Exhibition, pidan Gallery, Shanghai
(2023) TDC Tokyo Type Directors Club Exhibition, ggg Ginza Graphic Gallery, Tokyo
(2023) Metamorphosis of Rhythm, Shanghai Himalayas Museum, Shanghai, China
(2023) ART-ACT (Art Activism) Festival (Artist and Publication Designer), Media Art Nexus (Nanyang Technological University) and Ten Square, Singapore
(2022) GDC Award 30 Years Selected Exhibition, 10 cities in China and United States
(2022) 100 Young Artist Shortlist Exhibition, BIP Gallery in TX Huaihai, Shanghai, China
(2022) Absent Traces, London Craft Week, Bargehouse, London, UK
(2021) ABNORMAL Risograph, Bananafish Bookstore, Shanghai / LPS Park, Guangzhou,
China
Art book fairs, fetes and art festivals
(2024) inD Guangzhou Art Book Fair, Future Society, Guangzhou, China
(2023) SEA Art Book Fair, Fotografiska Image Art Centre, Shanghai, China
(2023) abC (art book in China) Art Book Fair, Ming Contemporary Museum, Shanghai, China
(2022) inD Guangzhou Art Book Fair, Future Society, Guangzhou, China
(2022) Pop Over and Join the Fete, Espacio Gallery, London, UK
(2021) abC (art book in China) Art Book Fair, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
(2021) Tokyo Art Book Fair, Tokyo Modern Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
(2021) UNFOLD Shanghai Art Book Fair, M50 Creative Park, Shanghai, China
(2021) Singularity Art Festival, Modern Art Museum, Shanghai, China
(2021) Picnic Art Festival, TANK Art Centre, Shanghai, China
(2020) Chengdu Art Book Fair, A4 Museum, Chengdu, China
Publications
Peng, Y. (2023). Independent Art Publishing Project: Go to the River; Rain Duplicate. Tokyo TDC: The Best in International Typography & Design Vol.34
Peng, Y. (2023). Independent Art Publishing Project: Rain Duplicate. Award 360° Annual Book 2022
Peng, Y. (2023). Independent Art Publishing Project: Rain Duplicate. Graduate 360° Annual Book 2022
Peng, Y. (2022). Graduation Projects Under Social Media, Interview with CheapBall. Design 360° Magazine No.98, Motion Design Thinking and Digital Design
Peng, Y. (2022). Independent Art Publishing Project: Abyss Staring; Cyber Isolation. Tokyo TDC: The Best in International Typography & Design Vol.33
Peng, Y. (2021). Independent Art Publishing Project: Abyss Staring. Asia-Pacific Design (Annual Book) No.17
Peng, Y. (2021). Independent Art Publishing Project: Vacuum Words Brick; In Bed; Abyss Staring. BranD (Magazine) No.57