Wenxin (35) & Coming to Rest
Wenxin commands the attention of the room, not with a boisterous voice nor animated bearing but rather with the exact opposite – a grounded disposition and an unfaltering poise. I was fortunate enough to have been under her tutelage for a time in design school, her love for editorial design truly rubbing off on each one of us in the classroom. I remember her ambling into consultation one day pulling a luggage behind her and setting it down without so much as a thud. Inside, a treasure trove of publications she’d amassed over the years and her hope of sharing a world of creative possibility. She’s a role model of mine and the reason one of my favourite typefaces is Adobe Caslon Pro (Small Caps).
‘Ah Ma & I’ — a publication I worked on as a student of Wenxin’s
We caught up in early July to talk about a burnout I was going through and her coming into a season of rest. Being self-starters, we sometimes burn the candle on both ends, something we resolved over our unagi dinner that night, to be more conscious of. She shares more about accepting her humanness and finding gratification in other aspects of work.
“I’m an associate at FARM. We are a cross-disciplinary design practice bridging architecture, interiors, exhibition, and graphic design. I lead our graphic teams to work on projects spanning private and corporate clients in the hospitality, real estate, culture, and arts sector. Adjunct lecturing was something I wanted to do because of how much I enjoy shepherding young designers and shaping design direction.”
The FARM office at Waterloo Street
“Outside of work, I love embarking on journeys that show me a different way of life or a different perspective of things. You could say I enjoy amassing experiences and seeing beauty in the immaterial. Ceramics, beautiful prints, gastronomy and comforting sweets are some of my favourite things too.”
Past branding work for Milk Fish with the team at FARM
“I did Fine Arts for my ‘A’ levels then a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Comms major) before going on to do a Masters in Editorial Design in Barcelona.”
“I initially wanted to be a fine artist — winning two small mentions at the UOB Painting of the Year as a young adult further encouraged me. But I did not have the courage to pursue it in the end and went into Visual Comms instead.”
Past branding work for The Great Madras with the team at FARM
“I’ve always enjoyed a continuous state of art and design confluence, driven by people in the process. Living and working in Barcelona and Japan has definitely helped me to drive reinvention in my design career. I also believe in thriving on rich collaborations to push design thinking.”
Past branding work for The Great Madras with the team at FARM
“I get inspired by research, travelling and talking to people. Typography is my main medium when translating design ideas, whether art direction, editorial design, visual identity or spatial experience.”
“Rather than design being a merely stylistic gesture, I believe in creating meaningful narratives. A good content architect creates purposeful visual representation through an objective process involving craft, considered type and a well-distilled idea.”
A poster in the FARM office says “Work Hard & Be Nice to People”
“My favourite quotes are from Dieter Rams.”
You cannot understand good design if you do not understand people; design is made for people.
Good design is as little design as possible. Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.
With the FARM Graphics Team
“It is not about finding yourself, but creating yourself.”
“I love feeling calm, but the design industry is not exactly a calm industry. It is highly organic as creative possibilities are limitless and require a quick turnaround. Joy is derived working for our passion, but we should not forget to have our time off. We need to understand that we are finite.”
At the office and at a site visit with the team
“The best we can do is keep calm and carry on, as every step is a step closer to finishing well. My creative journey has really been about developing the confidence to empower younger designers. Seeing them learn and grow brings gratification.”
Past work for The Barracks Hotel Sentosa with the team at FARM
“A book I’m currently loving is Anni & Josef Albers: Equal and Unequal.”
“This coming year I look forward to having time to rest and to make art again.”
Site visit to So/ Singapore and its 1927 rooftop bar
“Creativity to me is: Design without designing.”
