Graphic designer Ken Wenrui Zhao finds new meaning in existing visual media

A large part of Ken Wenrui Zhao’s practice involves working with found images, drawing from his large collection of magazines and books. “I photocopy, scan, and rearrange them, “as I’m interested in how text and image can work together in unexpected ways”, the New York-based graphic designer and filmmaker tells us. Working primarily in branding, publication and exhibition design, Ken spends a lot of his time considering the interaction between text and image, making sure to assess both elements conceptually and aesthetically. “I consider how they can complement or challenge each other to shape the audience’s experience,” Ken says. This is an appreciation he developed through not only practice but research too.

“One of the most important moments in shaping my understanding of design was watching Chris Marker’s Sans Soleil,” he says. “It showed me how personal storytelling, poetic visuals, and the interplay of text and image could come together in such a powerful way.” This is a notion is one thas certainly stuck with Ken – he’s translated it across his multidisciplinary practice. Ken’s also inspired by designers whose approach to publications and materiality resonate with his own recontextualisation of found like Paul Elliman and Julie Peeters. “For me, design is about exploring the relationships between text, image, and meaning,” Ken ends, “while leaving room for subtlety and interpretation.”