Googly eyes, goats and games: Step into Xingshan He’s incredible world of interactive design

Each element of the designer’s work has an interactive element, including a website that lets you fly an airplane cursor around a blue sky.

Words: Olivia Hingley
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Date: 8 August 2023
Tags: Work
Graphic Design
Typography
Poster
Interactive
Society

It’s rare to come across a design portfolio that feels like you can physically enter it, but this is most certainly the case with Xingshan He’s. Inspired by the likes of Studio Moniker and Yehwan Song, Xingshan is passionate about creating artful interactive design experiences. Stylistically, Xingshan aims for an aesthetic that emulates the “millennial internet” era. Her images often look like a noughties Myspace page, filled with overlapping images, vibrant palettes and hectic patterns.

But while Xingshan’s visuals exude fun and levity, she uses them to delve into complex societal topics. Particularly those connected to her personal experience, like China’s one child policy. Her interactive website Breathe With Us – which has a soothing title page that simulates the motion of breathing – deals with the experience of emotional labour in China’s food delivery industry. Inventive, immersive and consistently analytical, Xingshan’s portfolio is best suited for deep exploration.

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www.xingshanhe.com

About the Author

Olivia Hingley

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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.

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Googly eyes, goats and games: Step into Xingshan He’s incredible world of interactive design

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