Turning the Old New: New Talent Annual 2022 Entries

This week’s New Talent Annual 2022 entries are quite unique projects, ranging from a new style of typeface to a collection of illustrated books.

School of Visual Arts student Ji Un Lee was assigned the task of developing a typeface that reflects the artistic features of a chosen artist’s retrospective exhibit. Lee decided to design “Jeff Koons Typeface” (above) inspired by artist Jeff Koons: “Inspired by ‘Balloon Dog,’ which is his most famous work, the typeface was made to emulate his balloon installation. The shape of the typeface that looks inflated and stuck represents the personality of his artwork: funny and playful,” Lee comments. The typeface does a great job of fulfilling the objective, as the design is stylistic, poppy and endearingly chaotic. Lee’s professor, Pedro Mendes, “liked [the] playful typeface and consistent visual system for applications,” showing that Lee is a promising student with an eye for design. 

“Symbolink,” developed by Yunbee Baek, a student at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea is a series of books that represent imaginations derived from common symbols. These symbols that are recognized worldwide include the Celestial tree, water and fire, and a door and key. Baek explains that the three books in her collection “convey the intuitive connection between global beliefs,” highlighting that symbols transcend differences in culture, language, etc., and serve as a “link” between people and universal themes that we recognize and value. Conveying a simple yet often overlooked concept, Baek states that “the project has received feedback that it effectively interprets the intuitive part of the semiotic mechanism.” 

Interested in submitting your own work into our New Talent 2022 competition here.