We have just received Social Energy, a two-volume bilingual book documenting a series of travelling exhibitions, workshops and lectures presented in locations across China. The Dutch exhibition entitled Social Energy — Contemporary Communication Design travelled to Chengdu, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Shanghai, presenting 11 prominent graphic designers and design agencies from the Netherlands. The show’s title reflects the curators’ view of Dutch graphic design as a powerful form of social interaction which reflects the social concerns of the individual designer as well as characteristics of Dutch society.


Social Energy, edited by Li Degeng, Jiang Hua, Luo Yi, ISBN: 978 7 5039 4991 3

The exhibition paid particular attention to the designers’ concepts and working methods, and in addition to collecting the exhibited pieces, the curators filmed the designers at work and interviewed them about their sources of inspiration.



Documentary directed by Liu Dapeng, produced by Li Degeng and He Cuiping


The OCT Art & Design Gallery, Shenzhen


Hong Kong Design Center, Hong Kong

Social Energy showcases works by Karel Martens, Niessen & De Vries, Machine, Studio Dumbar, NLXL, Catalogtree, Lust, Irma Boom, Typotheque, Mevis & Van Deursen and Mooren & Van der Velden. Typotheque is represented not by its typefaces, but by its work in the cultural field (books and posters). As part of the project, Peter Biľak gave a lecture at the Hong Kong Design Center.

Designers and their projects were selected by Li Degeng, Jiang Hua, and Wang Min of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.

Press Release http://www.hkdesigncentre.org/en/news/press.asp?newsid=1519