Chuye Chen

Chuye Chen sees himself as a storyteller and would like to expand his skills visually by studying graphic design. He came into contact with Far Eastern magic and the art of divination through his family and invented the Geomanist Club of the Universe for a novel. He gave it a visual identity that translates the principles of Chinese magic into a graphic language that revitalises ancient traditions and at the same time has a contemporary feel.

Interview with Chuye Chen

Why did you choose Chinese magic as your theme?
I was born into a family that appreciates traditional Eastern culture and is familiar with the “I Ching”, feng shui and other aspects of Chinese magic. So I came into contact with mysticism at an early age and became interested in it.

The work complements a novel you’ve been writing for a long time, in which teenagers discover that they have supernatural powers…
Initially, I wanted to create a visual identity for an organisation in my novel. As I delved deeper into elements of traditional culture, I realised that feng shui diviners face many problems. They are marginalised by society and at the same time under pressure to continue the magical practices that are passed down through their bloodlines. I believe that they should be treated like everyone else, so I came up with the idea of founding a social organisation for feng shui geomancers.

What’s behind the unusual font design?
It consists of two parts. Both the Latin and Chinese characters in this project consist of circles and squares, reflecting the traditional Chinese concept of “the sky is round, the earth is square”. The combination of heaven and earth symbolises the balance of yin and yang, of movement and stillness. For the Chinese characters, I used an ancient form that resembles oracle bone writing, as feng shui masters once used tortoise shells for divination.

What impressed you the most?
The design process was like a learning journey, and I learnt a lot about feng shui myself. One memorable moment was when we were photographing the project and the security personnel asked us if we belonged to a sect and were afraid of being cursed. Many Chinese people know the traditional magical symbols but don’t understand the knowledge behind them, which leads to misunderstandings and fears. This is where my work comes in.