NNNNNNN — Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but do it or no one else will.

Chilai Howard, born in 1986, is a Hong Kong cross-disciplinary creative specialist and art worker who graduated from the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong (Critical Intermedia Laboratory) and HKUST (Creative Communication). He loves to explore speculative affairs and experience different artistic mediums, specialises in graphic arts, interactive media and spatial design. He founded award-winning design studio NNNNNNN in 2010. Chilai Howard is also a guest lecturer at the CUHK (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Faculty of Arts, board member and artistic consultant of “Videotage” (established in 1986). He has been commissioned to exhibit in various festivals and galleries internationally, including Tate Modern in London, Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, ZKM etc. He won multiple awards, including “Most Outstanding Designer of the Year 2022”.

Interview with NNNNNNN

Red Dot: What does design mean to you?
NNNNNNN: Design is passion made visible. It changes the shape of a place culturally and people mentally.

What makes your work unique?
My projects emphasise human “interactivity”, both physical and mental, by constructing and deconstructing atmospheres to provoke emotions and enhance sensation.

Was your award-winning work inspired by current social issues?
The intention of the work is simple: with a laboratory themed design, it was meant to put a pause to the ridiculous life that we all lead and offer the opportunity to experiment with something different.

Which target group would you like to address with your award-winning work?
To address as many as possible. The work attracts more people to appreciate art, to raise questions, to improve a place culturally – so do all the arts.

Please describe the concept of creativity against the background of your award-winning work.
The concept is to turn an online media “meme” into physical experiences, including sense of smell, objects, physical movements, temporary tattoos etc. Using the experimental laboratory as the core theme, visitors become scientists themselves and explore the space through time, space and body.