Mengchen Jian

I double-majored in Illustration and Communication Arts at the School of New Media Art&Design, Beihang University. After worked at art and hardware industries for a few years, I joined lead internet ByteDance(TikTok), where I worked for three years.

I balanced my day job with personal creative work, like ink and pencil printing, which garnered attention from a few indie organizations. Eventually, some of the photography and painting works exhibited in art gallery in Germany.

My creative approach—no matter the medium—is to find points of tension behind the idea I’ve been assigned or am interested in. I do several iterations on each point and usually end up refining the one I find most controversial.

For me, controversy isn’t about instigation, but rather, a way to arrest your audience. It’s a way to plant a little bit of desire in their hearts; a yearning to turn the page and learn more about your idea. Ultimately, it’s about creating memorable images, generating meaningful brand stories.