Major project
Colouring Book - The Fantastic Journey [Read more]
The Fantastic Journey's Colouring Pages
Wenyue’s project reappraises the value of mindfulness through the therapeutic processes of colouring and storytelling, particularly, in contexts of pandemics and lockdowns. Colouring Books, often dismissed as children’s fodder, have more recently become valued as relaxing activities for adult. As the colouring books restore people’s confidence in their art abilities, they encourage adults to invest in art activities for the feelings and moods involved with the processes rather than getting caught up in the critiques of the end product itself. “The Fantastic Journey” invites audiences to unlock a story of romance between two strangers who become familiar with each through the internet through the addition of colour. The story aims to show, that even in pandemics, there are serendipitous surprises that can be found in the least assuming of places.
The images on this page show snippets of the colouring book produced through digital software and printed with a third party company.
Wenyue Hu
Wenyue is an illustrator interested in combining traditional Chinese culture’s styles and symbols to modern contexts.
In the pandemic, many companies and offices encouraged working at home, which saved employees time traveling to and from work. However, employees could not spend this additional leisure time with those beyond their households, reducing typical social activities, and isolating many individuals. With losses of livelihoods, deteriorating relationships and the outside world restricted, reports of mental health increased. It became clear people were struggling to cope, and that mindful living could be promoted as a potential solution. Wenyue’s work explores one way of tackling this issue through arts-based means.
Major project
Colouring Book - The Fantastic Journey
Awards
(2018) The First Prize in the Bafolai Packaging Design Competition (Municipal Level)