Feeling brave? Enter the uneasy world of illustrator Wenjia Wang

Using a blend of traditional and digital techniques, the New-York based illustrator’s pieces have a distinctly unnerving edge.

Date
19 October 2022

Share

At first glance, Wenjia Wang’s pieces look like inviting, warm works of art. This is intentional, as the illustrator uses what she describes as a “bright, refreshing and tender” colour palette. But, if you look a little closer, you may find yourself thinking again; fingers glide against razor sharp wires, tongues are impaled by microphones and poisonous looking bugs bite into a naked foot. This is because Wenjia wants to “shock” her audience, tricking them into thinking her work is frivolous, before then adding a layer of uneasy storytelling.

Born in China, Wenjia moved to the US when she was 17. From a young age, she practised traditional Chinese calligraphy – a fundamental in Chinese ink brush painting. Now the technique plays an important role in informing Wenjia’s penchant for the “ink-like”. Having graduated from New York’s School of visual arts and Fashion institution of technology, she currently works as a freelance illustrator, completing work for both independent musicians and galleries plus big clients like Huawei.

Above

Wenjia Wang: Papercut (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2022)

Above

Wenjia Wang: Public Speech (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2022)

Above

Wenjia Wang: Spicy addiction (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2022)

Above
Left

Wenjia Wang: Pollen allergy (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2022)

Right

Wenjia Wang: aching void (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2020)

Above

Wenjia Wang: aching void (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2020)

Above

Wenjia Wang: Eye-pressure under digital monitor (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2022)

Above

Wenjia Wang: dead silence (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2020)

Above

Wenjia Wang: Phone-ring Fobia (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2022)

Above

Wenjia Wang: Academic pressure (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2022)

Hero Header

Wenjia Wang: Unreachable itchiness (Copyright © Wenjia Wang, 2022)

Share Article

About the Author

Olivia Hingley

Olivia (she/her) joined the It’s Nice That team as an editorial assistant in November 2021 and soon became staff writer. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a degree in English literature and history, she’s particularly interested in photography, publications and type design.

It's Nice That Newsletters

Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox? Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world.