cszhu

[cszhu]

I was commissioned by Futurium Berlin for the exhibition „Zukünfte der Demokratie“: In this new exhibiton area, democracy is analysed through different angles and media.

I had the wonderful opportunity to create four short comics and murals: They present three different democracies and one autocracy of the future. Which (dis-)advantages does each one bring in order to fulfill political goals? How do social justice and climate justice play together? How do we want to live together? The worlds are

Westzentrien: A political system based on Western democracies, where marginalised groups of society feel out of touch with the politicians who represent them.

All-Inea: A political system based on everybody’s participation, in which a local community votes on solutions on how to handle threats to food security.

Planetaria: A decentralised, post-national world without borders, in which a natural disaster is maneuvered with the help of AI and experts around the globe.

Dictopia: An autocratic system, in which everything depends on the arbitrariness of an autocrat and in which critical voices and freedom of the press are eliminated.

Each comic has its own style, according to the characteristics of the particular society: this can be seen in the color palette, the typography, the stylization of the characters, storylines, and environmental backgrounds. For example, I chose a very loose panel arrangement, images blending into each other, natural color tones for Planetaria, whereas the Dictopia comic is completely black and white, with a very rigid panel grid and sharp edges.

Many thanks to  R. Babourkova, J. Minges, G. Zipf, C. Wong, S. Jackson, E. Schwis! Photo credit: David von Becker, Susanne Jackson, Christina S. Zhu

#futurium #comics #illustration #democracy #social justice #climate change

[cszhu]

I was selected as Portfolio of the Month by PAGE magazine! You can find the feature in both their printed and online edition. I am incredibly happy about this honor and about the portrait. Many thanks to L. Nielsen!

#Illustration #interview #pagemag #design #editorial illustration

[cszhu]

Earlier this month, Illu23 took place in Cologne. I had the opportunity to exhibit my work with many great colleagues. The mutual support among each other, the sincere interest of the visitors and the variety of drawing styles touched and inspired me to get creative. Thanks to the organizing team and my dear booth neighbors!

#Illustration #illu23 #illustration festival #exhibition #cologne

[cszhu]

Cover illustration for POLITICO Europe: „Can TikTok’s cash shield it from the endgame?“

In March, a ban of tech giant TikTok was discussed in the US government. For the cover of this issue, I wanted to highlight the limits of lobbying: three layers of money protect the smartphone/TikTok at the base. All of the bank notes have started to burn. While the dollars on top are highly affected, the Euro bill has not caught as much fire yet.

Thanks to AD Tim Ball!

#editorial illustration #Illustration #tiktok #politics #political illustration

[cszhu]

Everything Everywhere All At Once portraits! It’s my favorite movie and I wanted to pay a little tribute to its stellar cast.

I created these portraits as part of the Illustratorenorganisation mentoring program. My mentor Florian Bayer suggested that I hone my skills in realistic illustration. I took that as an opportunity to indulge in something I love.

#everything everywhere all at once #eeaao #michelle yeoh #stephanie hsu #ke huy quan #jamie lee curtis #a24 #evelyn wang #waymond wang #deirdre beaubeirdre #joy wang

[cszhu]

Illustration about long-distance friendships for Krautreporter: „How to stay friends when one moves away“

In relationships with romantic partners, there are ideas about normality; what a romantic relationship „should look like“. In contrast, long-distance friendships do not come with such expectations, which offers diversity, but is also challenging due to lack of routines and knowledge.

To communicate this lack of rules, I chose a very loose, collage-like composition. Different ways of staying in contact are scattered throughout the image.

Thanks to AD P. Sipos !

#long distance relationship #long distance friendship #friendship #editorial illustration #Illustration #psychology

[cszhu]

Illustration for The Philosopher’s Magazine issue 98: „Facial Recognition As Oppressive Technology“

In their article, philosophers W. Hartzog and E. Selinger argue that facial recognition technology is a menace disguised as a gift, since it cannot be procedurally regulated and can easily be exploited.

In order to convey the authors‘ message, I used sharp contrasts: clear-cut shapes, opposing colours.

Thanks to AD A. Juraža!

#Illustration #editorial illustration #philosophy #facial recognition #technology

[cszhu]

Locked Up: Stories from immigration detention in Europe.

A few months ago, I was approached by PICUM to work on illustrations for a booklet about immigration detention centers. The images visualise stories of people who have experienced the practices in these facilities across Europe.

I focused on the description of the psychological effect the experience had on the detainees. It was of utmost importance to me to treat the stories with sensibility and respect.

Thanks to M. Solé and C. Bouvier for this opportunity!

#immigration #detention #human rights #Illustration #migration

[cszhu]

Must Must Read This - Twitter’s mobs mimic bird murmurations. “What more pertinent way is there to describe the viral dynamics of Twitter than compare it to the collective behavior of the birds iconified in its corporate logo?” I illustrated the latest Noema Weekly Roundup! In his article, Nathan Gardels writes about Twitter, bird murmuration, and online behaviour. Thanks to AD A. Higuera for this opportunity!

#twitter #elon musk #noema #illustration #editorialillustration

[cszhu]

The photos that NASAHubble & NASAWebb took of The Pillars of Creation inspired me deeply. I had to draw what I saw in the formation: A hand reaching into the universe. What an accomplishment for humankind and what a symbol for exploration and knowledge. Credit 2nd image: NASA

#pillars of creation #nasa #nasa webb telescope #hubble #space #illustration

[cszhu]

Thoughts on Being an Artist with Immigrant Parents

#immigration #model minority myth #immigrants #artists on tumblr #comic

[cszhu]

Submitted by @cszhu

Dreams by Christina S. Zhu

[cszhu]

Feature illustrations for Breathe Magazine vol. 50! „Watch the Judge:  It can be hard not to pass comment on yourself and others. But what lies beneath this behaviour and when might it need to be adjusted?“

The article by Yvonne Gavan deals with judgemental mindsets. I chose to transport this visually with a distorted reflection that seems to accompany the person: overly critical and always inspecting oneself.

Thanks to AD J. Grogan for this opportunity!

#editorialillustration #mindful #psychology #illustration #mentalhealth #womenillustrators

[cszhu]

Illustration for research by Eater on misconduct in Philadelphia bars and the toxic culture surrounding them. The broken glass reflects different aspects of the article. They represent parts of everyday working life and together create an overall picture of the toxic work culture. Thanks to AD J. Sparks for this opportunity! Illustrations by Christina S. Zhu for Eater Philly

#editorialillustration #illustration #investigative #metoo #investigativejournalism

[cszhu]

Cover illustration for Neue Narrative issue no. 15! The main topic of this issue is „Leistung“ (eng. performance, output). For the cover, I worked closely with the Neue Narrative team and we found a visual solution together: Performance is often portrayed as physical, for example with metaphors like engines, sports, muscles. We wanted to distance ourselves from that and find a different visual language. The fantasy landscape with surreal architecture picks up on various issues of the core theme: e.g. that performance is not linear, that there are different paths, that achievement is often associated with privilege and discrimination, or that an achievement is only reached by several people working together. Thanks to AD D. Wagner and the Neue Narrative team for this opportunity!

#editorial illustration #editorial #Illustration #magazine #cover #work #leistung

[cszhu]

Sonder: The realization that every passing stranger has a life as complex as one’s own.

Sonder is a comic collective and anthology, published by illustrators who want to explore and experiment with the medium of visual storytelling. The topic of the third issue is „The first day after...“. My comic „The first day after the dance“ is about awkward party situations and finding comfort in being alone.

168 pages , perfect bound

Bilingual German & English

risographic print by @studio_superkolor

Please also take a look at my fellow illustrators‘ work: Aelfleda Clackson , Janna Schipper, Christina S. Zhu, Silvia Berheide, Jan Hendrik Ax , Naemi Fürst, Julius Thesing, Svea Öhlschläger, Felix Henze, Danya Wilde, Lena Lackmann. Photos taken by Jan Hendrik Ax

#comic #comics #zine #comic zine #anthology #sonder #graphic novel #Book Illustration #comic books

[cszhu]

A Life in Germany - Postmigrant Stories Book project about postmigrant stories. I interviewed immigrants of the first and subsequent generations about their lives in Germany, wrote down their experiences and illustrated them. I asked:

What does „Zuhause“ mean to you? Which paths did you choose? Who is the closest to you? What are differences between generations when you compare your situation with that of your parents? Which memory has shaped you? How did living in Germany change you? How do you react when somebody asks where you’re from?

The project attempts to open a room for discussion and encourages a depiction of non-white immigrants without stereotypical means in visual media. 14 people share their perspectives on migration, resistance, identity. Names changed for anonymity.

KEY DATA Medium: Book Size: 16 x 22 cm Scope: 80 pages, 30 full-colour illustrations

#immigration #identity #social justice #Book Illustration #BLM