Wang Ruohan: Life Is a Colorful Journey

Wang stresses the importance of people watching in her creative process. She draws inspiration from observing her surroundings, pinning down and reinterpreting mundane elements of city life. “My work is about the simplistic nature of humankind,” she says. This is reflected in her playful simplification of objects and human behaviors. One of the most recurrent items in her vocabulary, a pair of walking legs, is evocative of the Chinese character 人, meaning Man or people, and acts as a symbolic shortcut for human nature and activity.

Likewise signposting is one major influence on her work, specifically in the city of Berlin where she lives and which she often cites as a positive influence: “There’s a very bold aesthetic here that is different from other cities. Whether it’s the typography on the highway or posters on the street, the words and symbols are clear and big enough so you can understand the information being communicated quickly. This informs the way I use shapes and colors in my own work.”

A graduate of Berlin University of Art, Wang had a strong background in illustration and graphic design already prior to moving to Germany. From there, delving into painting and printing techniques was a seamless affair. Then came animation, outdoor installations, mural works, fashion design… “Itʼs the result of a desire to be constantly evolving. As an artist who studied illustration, I wouldnʼt express my ideas only on paper.” This variety of techniques allows her to challenge her limits. “The possibilities of each medium motivate me to explore how far is too far.”