|
On my business trip to Shanghai, I suddenly remembered that Poledesign was joining T-1 from Shanghai. So I jumped out to interview Chi Cheng, using the short time I had between flights!
Making an appointment through the phone, I arrived at Poledesign’s office in Shanghai.
Poledesign has been involved in the Nike project in China. The entrance, the walls, the floor, is all white! In this hip office, staffs were busy enjoying their work.
We waited a while, and finally met Chi Chen!
He told us as much as he could about his t-shirt Fighting Club, in the short time we had.
| ── |
Hi, nice to meet you! |
| Chi Cheng |
It’s a pleasure to meet you! Welcome to Shanghai! |
| ── |
Sorry to take your time. |
| Chi Cheng |
Not at all! Thanks for coming! It’s such a good surprise! |
| ── |
Thanks again for joining the T-1 WORLD CUP! Your t-shirt is doing pretty well! |
| Chi Cheng |
Really? Thanks! |
| ── |
Could we ask about the concept of your t-shirt? |
| Chi Cheng |
Did you come here by taxi? How was the traffic? Pretty bad, huh? Shanghai is developing in such a speed. Everyone’s busy working, and the competition is very intense. I put that atmosphere of Shanghai into this design. |
| ── |
I see. So that’s the reason for the name of this t-shirt, “Fighting Club”! |
| Chi Cheng |
Exactly. Everybody is always competing with someone else, or with themselves. |
| ── |
By the way, does the Chinese character that looks like “gate” mean the soccer goal? |
| Chi Cheng |
Actually, no. This isn’t the Chinese character for “gate”. It means “to fight” in old Chinese character. |
| ── |
Really? I totally thought it was the image of the goal, in connection with the FIFA World Cup…. |
| Chi Cheng |
Do you notice that the character for “king” is symmetrical? |
| ── |
Let me see… yes, yes! |
| Chi Cheng |
This is an image of two kings fighting each other. |
| ── |
Oh I see! Wow… Interesting! |
| Chi Cheng |
(laughs out loud) |
| ── |
How did this idea come to you? |
| Chi Cheng |
When Poledesign got the offer from the T-1 office, my boss asked if anyone was interested, and I raised my hand.
After that, I built up my image for the t-shirt here in this busiest city in China, Shanghai, and came up with this design. |
| ── |
I see… By the way, can you tell us a little about the Nike design project done by Poledesign? |
| Chi Cheng |
Sure. Poledesign was in charge of the total design for the Nike project in China. Logos, posters, catalogues, and so on. Actually, that was the first time designing a t-shirt. This catalogue in shocking pink is also from that project. It’s a combination of two street cultures, skateboarding and graffitti. You can take it if you want. |
| ── |
Wow, thanks! Nice…. (examines catalogue)
Can you tell us some artists who have influenced you? |
| Chi Cheng |
I love Yoshitomo Nara from Japan. Cute but rebellious looking characters… He has a distinct taste in his work! |
| ── |
I see that you have a plate with Nara’s illustration on it! Or is that an ashtray? |
| Chi Cheng |
It’s one of my favorite. |
| ── |
One last question! Do you think you’ll win in the T-1 WORLD CUP? |
| Chi Cheng |
Yes. “Fighting Club” may not be a beautiful design, or a lovely design. But it sends out a message, about a social issue. I believe there are people who emphasize with this message.
Most of all, it was designing the t-shirt was a really exciting experience! It was like… like writing a novel. I’m confident with my design. |
| ── |
I see. Can you give us a message to the readers who are reading this page? |
| Chi Cheng |
I’m happy to participate in T-1, with all the other great designers of the world. I hope to get in touch with many people through this t-shirt. Thank you! |
By the way, Usman Haque mentioned Fighting Club as one of the potential winners, when we met him the other day!
Thank you again, Chi, for taking time out of your busy schedule!!
2006/6/23
The order registration period for T-1 WORLD CUP is in synchronization with the ongoing FIFA World Cup. Japan, unfortunately, had a costly defeat against Australia the other day. Silas Hickey is a designer from that country, Australia. We went to interview him!
Above: Silas. Our interview went off track from the beginning…
| Silas |
Nice to meet you! Did you see the game the other day? God, it was exciting, I yelled and yelled! I couldn’t sleep after that!
But actually, I think Japan is stronger than us. It’s been 32 years since Australia last went to the World Cup, and I think it’ll be pretty difficult for them to go to the finals. I think Japan has a better chance. |
Silas, you are so sweet! And you seem to be familiar with the Japanese culture of flattering other people! Australia is also a pretty strong team, you know…
After chit-chatting about soccer for a while, we got into our main topic.
Although you say that your design is inspired by the plaque on spacecraft Pioneer 10 and 11, readers are e-mailing us that the outer frame of the design looks like a soccer field, or that the message “Happy Ending” must stand for which team will “end happy” after the soccer game.
| Silas |
Really? Interesting. I never expected something like that. It’s interesting how people view it in a different way. Oh, can I wear this t-shirt? Ooh, Nice texture. Great! |
Silas moving his hands super fast to check the texture of the t-shirt
Silas was a professional surfer before he came to Japan. The t-shirt looks great on his well worked out body!
He is currently working on a documentary film on surfing with Mark Newson.
| Silas |
Kids in Australia grow up watching surf movies, just like Japanese kids grow up watching animation. The surf movies we watch are mostly from the US. We wanted to launch a surf movie from Australia. |
The film “shape & shapers”, which focuses on the shapers of surfboards and their history, is scheduled to come out this fall after 3 years of production.
You can view the trailer from this link.
He gave us a version with Japanese comments also.
The diary on producing the film can be read here.
By the way, which t-shirt do you want, and which t-shirt do you think will win, Silas?
Silas trying to make up his mind, looking at the list of t-shirts.
| Silas |
Hmm… Hmmmmmm… That’s a tough question. I know KDa, and I also know Tom, the winner of last year. I’ve interviewed Phunk studio before so I know them also. It’s really hard to say…
(3 minutes passes by…)
What was I trying to decide? Oh yes, the t-shirt I want, and the one I think will win! Okay, I want “LION HA-NETEIRU” by Tsuguya Inoue! This is a really cool t-shirt! But I think the winner is Kam Tang, it’s a cute t-shirt! |
Soccer, t-shirts, and surfing… our subject kept on changing, and we saw the little kid in him, in the way he joyfully talked about these topics.
Silas’s message to all the readers of the T-1.
| Silas |
The T-1 t-shirts are all nice. However… I think the graphic on my t-shirt may still be alive even when the sun ceases to exist, and the solar system goes down. |
Silas, thank you for the interview!
2006/6/23
Promos from designers are arriving one bye one!
Many of the contestant designers are sending us something to promote their t-shirt.
Today we will show you two movies we received from two artists.
First is from Kinga, a video artist in Poland.
Kinga sent us an image movie for the “Chopin funclub!”.
The movie lasts about 2 seconds.
Here you go!
Hold on a sec…
We forgot to tell you, the movie includes audio.
Quick! Check the audio settings on your computer!
Those of you who are checking this page at work, get your headsets ready!
Okay, ready now?
Here you go!
Her love and respect towards the great Polish composer Chopin is poured into those two seconds!
It’s a movie to recruit you to join the “Chopin funclub”!
By the way, a photo of her and her two kids was also attached to her e-mail.
How cute…
2006/6/21
« Previous Page — « Next Page
|
