Cultural Heritage

Illustration in the form of murals, picture books and posters that celebrate the cultural history and heritage of the home countries of these Shortlisted illustrators.


Krom Bagelsky
Rings of Time

Illustrator Krom was commissioned to paint this mural on a 45m disused industrial chimney – to celebrate five key eras in Bulgaria’s cultural history.

They painted the mural using rope access techniques and enjoyed the challenge of composing 28 figures on the unusual 3-dimensional shape while allowing for perspective distortions, and researching the clothes and artefacts for each era.


Alberto Casagrande
Caciara Wall

This mural illustration was created for a new Milan restaurant. The illustrator Alberto was looking for a non clichéd way to represent Italian traditions

The focus for the illustration was a commumal feast, which was an authentic manifestation of community joy, through sacred and profane rituals, symbols and, of course, food.

The illustration interacts with architectural elements such as mirrors and lights and stylistically looks to futurism and vintage graphic design.


Zhiqian Lin
The Disappearing City

Zhiqian wanted to create a series of illustrations that explored the culture of a city. Guimiao New Village in Shenzhen, built during the Qing Dynasty, holds a special place in thier heart as one of the oldest urban villages in the city centre.

Despite its rich history, it’s sadly set to be demolished in 2023. To preserve its legacy, Zhiqian has created illustrations that capture its essence and unique character.


Luis San Vicente
The legend of Mictlán. The place of the dead

These illustrations were inspired by the idea of communicating Mexican legends to new generations.

For the illustrator Luis it was important for the illustrations to have the core identity of Mexican art, but also to show their own signature style.

Mexican legends have always interested Luis and they will continue to be important for many generations to come.

Julia Cherednichenko
To be a Cossack means

This packaging and product designs for socks inspired by the Ukranian Cossacks. They were designed as not mearly a garment, but a means of communication between the modern people of Ukraine and their historical roots.

Julia wanted people to see the designs and feel the generational support, bravery, strength, and wisdom within themselves.

The concept was based on ethnic symbols and on various legends and myths about the Cossacks who are a significant part of Ukrainian history.

Xinyu Liu and Kechu Jin (duo short animation)
The Summer Record

The aim of this animation is to convey nostalgia for the summer days in the south of China.

All the scenes and experiences of the protagonist are inspired by the memories of the duo’s childhood, recording the fading years and depicting the cultural landscapes.

They combined traditional and digital animation, using Chinese ink painting for the background to create a stylish and subtle impression.


Xinyue Zhu
Ode to the Emperor

This picture book was created to communicate the impact of obedience education on children born in China from the 1980s to the 1990s.

It’s a reflection on the fact that parents during this period were still influenced by traditional Chinese Confucianism, emphasizing “patriarchy” and “obedience.”


Poonam Mistry
The Midnight Panther

These illustrations were created in response to a picture book written by the illustrator. The themes of the story focus on self-love and acceptance and embracing our differences.

The style of the artwork is based on traditional art and patterns found across the illustrators heritage in India as well as where the story is set.


Sayanart
The Wall of Harmony

This project was commissioned by St+Art India Foundation. The idea was to commemorate Arunachal Pradesh, one of the north eastern cities of India, reflecting on its 50 year journey after gaining independence.

Arunachal Pradesh has a rich cultural heritage, incuding floral handicrafts by local tribes which the mural explores through the theme of storytelling.


Wincy Kung
Bamboo Craft Festival

These posters were created in response to the sweeping urbanization of Hong Kong and the resulting loss of its cultural diversity.

The Bamboo Craft Festival was designed with vast elevated bamboo platforms and structures as an urban celebration of culture, heritage, and craftsmanship to preserve and revitalize the local traditions, engage public to explore the local street cultures, performance and embody the spirit of Hong Kong.

Andrzej Wieteszka
DUKA 100 YEARS/Porcelain collection

These illustrations were created for an original porcelain collection created for the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the DUKA company.

The theme was the history of Swedish design, art, architecture, folklore, nature and science. The collection includes 11 cups, 11 saucers, teapot, packaging, POS.

Each of the objects has an original illustration and packaging, inside Andrzej designed information navigation.

Fengyi Ye
Zodiac Rabbit 2023

Fengyi created this project to deepen their understanding of their cultural roots, which come from their personal experience of living in different cultures.

In their studio practice, they value creating illustrations that authentically reflect Chinese culture in a way that Chinese viewers today will recognize and appreciate.