Alicia Liu re-envisions the eternal representations of life and death with “Yi Cong.” A recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts, Alicia took home Gold at the New Talent Awards 2024 by flipping the model of traditional burial practices. The concept, inspired by ancient Chinese philosophy and driven by modern environmental realities, “Yi Cong” is part installation, part cultural statement, and all heart. Under the mentorship of Professor Peter Ahlberg, Alicia crafts a vision where cultural tradition collides with earth-conscious design. Part installation, part brand, and pure ideation.
By: Alicia Liu, Motion Designer, Modicum, & Former Student, School of Visual Arts
The Designer and Concept Behind the Project
In traditional Chinese culture, life is seen as a continuous cycle, while the pursuit of immortality is a strong denial of death. This belief system manifests in burials—tangible testaments to a culture’s understanding of life and death, a whole ecosystem in itself. However, these large, eternal structures have become unsustainable in our increasingly crowded world.
This leads to an important question: How can we reshape burial practices to be more environmentally friendly while still embracing the cultural philosophies of life? “Yi Cong” is a series of installations designed near beaches and oceans, serving as a climate resilience infrastructure. They are designed to deteriorate naturally. With each crash of the waves, the ash that made up the installation will dissipate gradually into the ocean.
By merging environmental awareness with cultural philosophy, “Yi Cong” redefines contemporary burial practices from both the perspectives of spatiality and temporality.
Bringing “Yi Cong” to Life: Design and Branding
Designing “Yi Cong” was more than creating a conceptual gravestone-like installation; it was about reimagining the entire narrative around death. I took on the challenge of designing not only the look of the installation but also the branding that brings its message to life.
The name Yi Cong is inspired by the ancient Chinese artifact “cong,” which also influences the sculpture’s appearance, creating a strong cultural connection to the project’s roots.
The branding draws from the aesthetics of 90s Chinese graphics, embodying a spiritual and nostalgic vibe. Instead of leaning into a serious or cold portrayal of death, “Yi Cong” aims to introduce a softer, more approachable image. The colors and layouts reflect a sense of warmth, evoking memories and emotions rather than fear or discomfort.
The entire visual language takes inspiration from risograph printing, which beautifully conveys the theme of ephemerality. Just as all risograph prints are unique and fleeting, the branding encapsulates the idea that life and its rituals are both delicate and impermanent.
The logo design is a thoughtful blend: a customized sans-serif combined with Chinese serif. This mix introduces the project’s balance between tradition and modernity and also its use of a bilingual system.
Together, the installation and branding reshape how we view and honor the cycle of life and death from a contemporary perspective.
(Additional images provided by Alicia Liu.)
Alicia Liu is a graphic and motion designer based in New York who graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2023 (Design BFA). She has collaborated with clients such as Samsung Ads, Google, Snapdragon, Disney+, FX, and many design studios. With a passion for blending her thinking into visual languages, Alicia always strives to create work that feels authentic and true to herself. Her design work ranges from brand identities and motion graphics to packaging, posters, and printed matter. Her designs are often colorful, experimental, and concept-driven.
