Select Your Favorite New Visual Artist!
Community Choice Voting Open Through November 8, 2024
Beginning in 1998 and running through 2017, the PRINT New Visual Artists competition identified some of the best, most inventive young creative people working today. This year we reintroduced the competition and today we’re thrilled to introduce some of the best, brightest, cutting-edge designers working across many fields of creativity.
For 2024, our stellar jury members Nick Ace, Jessica Deseo, Steven Heller, Debbie Millman, and Zac Petit were truly inspired by the work put forward by creative professionals under 30 and over 30 from around the globe. With their fresh perspective on the world, exposure to new technologies, and willingness to challenge norms, the 16 selected designers demonstrate innovative thinking and unique solutions for the needs of their clients or for special projects. They also blew the jury away with their embrace of new technological techniques and advanced creative skills.
Graphic design has come a long way . . . the good are better, and the better are best. It was a hard competition to judge because everything submitted was above the bar.
Steven Heller
2024 NVA Trophy Designed by COLLINS
This year’s recognized designers, 15 under 30 and 1 selected designer over 30, clearly balance creative vision with humility, hustle, and a strong sense of purpose. They are passionate about their art. And, even though they’re from all over the world and from diverse backgrounds, growing up in an interconnected, digitally-driven world, where they are more aware of systemic injustices, these young creatives share a common thread of commitment to social issues. They’re empowered by tools of expression, and driven by a desire for meaningful change.
We’re excited and honored to celebrate these 16 creative visionaries and look forward to seeing how their work and careers expand and flourish in the years ahead.
Community Choice Award
With the relaunch of PRINT New Visual Artists this year, we’ve also launched a new opportunity for our audience to select their favorite New Visual Artist. All 16 winners can be considered for the prestigious title of the PRINT Community Choice New Visual Artist. This top-tier designation will be determined by our online audience—you—through a community voting platform. The voting period will be open for one week, ending on November 8 and one winner will be selected by the PRINT design community as the PRINT Community Choice New Visual Artist.
15 Visual Artists Under 30
Handanu (Danu) Ardhata
Age: 24
From: Jakarta, Indonesia
Living in: Los Angeles, CA
Currently working at: Thinking Room
Studied at: ArtCenter College of Design
Danu Ardhata is passionate about pushing the boundaries of what design can achieve, using it to bridge gaps, tell compelling stories, and foster genuine connections. Growing up in Jakarta, Indonesia, his childhood was filled with traditional music, the sights of Indonesia’s breathtaking archipelago, and the flavors of diverse culinary traditions, which sparked his love for creativity and storytelling and inspired him to pursue a career in graphic design.
One of the projects that stood out for our NVA jury was his hypothetical rebranding of the Museum of Linguistic Arts (MoLA) in Washington, D.C. By infusing interactive elements across all touchpoints, Ardhata created a cohesive museum experience that resonates with young language learners and professionals alike.
Hypothetical rebranding of Museum of Linguistic Arts.
Central to his work is a brand anthropomorphism methodology he developed from his master’s thesis to humanize brands by blending core values, cultural context, and dynamic expressions that he calls the Humanimark Model. “This model positions brands as living entities with distinct personalities, fostering authentic and sustainable connections with their audiences,” says Ardhata. “I believe that brands should not just exist but should resonate on a human level, engaging with people in meaningful and lasting ways rather than just juggling current trends that may not align with the brand’s mission statement.”
As an educator and mentor, Ardhata aims to instill the importance of empathy, critical thinking, and cultural sensitivity in design. By equipping them with these values, he hopes to cultivate a community of designers who are not only skilled but also socially responsible.
Ultimately, I want to leave a legacy where design catalyzes connection and understanding, bridging divides and enriching lives. I want to be remembered as a designer who impacted how we perceive and engage with culture, diversity, and the world through design.
Danu Ardhata, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Flora Bai
Age: 25
From: Wuhan, China
Living in: Jersey City, NJ
Currently working at: TIN TIN TINT
Studied at: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, School of Visual Arts
Flora Bai is an NY/NJ-based illustrator. Her delicate color sensibilities and refined line work are inspired by traditional Chinese line drawing and ligne claire. Bai explores the relationships between nature and the artificial, weaving together a visual world with multiple narrative threads.
Bai graduated from SVA with an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay. Her portfolio spans editorial illustrations, cover illustrations, picture books, and commercials. Over the past two years, her work has been featured in publications and brand campaigns, with clients like The LA Times, Dr. Martens, Marvis, Harvard Magazine, Saveur, and Penguin Random House. Her work was also featured in a solo exhibition at the United Art Museum in Wuhan, where her “Grapefruit in Yogurt” series earned critical acclaim. She’s also participated in public art projects, like The Flag Project at Rockefeller Center in NYC.
Flag Project at Rockefeller Center.
This work, entitled HALO, is an illustrated poster reflecting social distancing in daily life post-pandemic. It was selected for the Flag Project, the first public art exhibition in New York City following the COVID-19 pandemic. It was displayed on flags at Rockefeller Center’s outdoor plaza during the summer of 2020, and the exhibition returned in February 2021.
To me, design is an integral part of life. Illustration serves as my gateway to design, where I can create scenes, spaces, and stories, conveying emotions and aesthetics.
Flora Bai, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30 (pictured: Flora with Zima)
Callie Barnas
Age: 24
From: Metro-Detroit, MI
Living in: New York, NY
Currently working at: Sideways Inc.
Studied at: School of Visual Arts
Callie Barnas is a multidisciplinary designer based in NYC & the Detroit area. Conceptually driven and crafted with care, her work is often bold with a sense of play. In addition to appreciating her creativity and body of work, our NVA jury definitely connected with her response to great design.
“When I see something that I perceive as good design out in the world (and we’re talking really really good design), I go through the five stages of grief,” Barnas explains. “Denying that a person could possibly conceive a solution that clever or that beautiful or just that damn good. Angry that I didn’t think of it first, and cursing my brain for not having conceptualized this exact piece of work on its own. Bargaining with myself about how this person has more resources or more friends in the industry or got lucky or just about anything to make myself feel better. Depressed over how I don’t even know where to start creating something as good as what I’m looking at. Then comes the eventual acceptance that at the end of the day the only way to design something good is to get up and make anything at all.”
Put simply, good design makes me want to keep creating. If I’m lucky enough, one person one day will look at something I designed and feel the same thing. That’s how I want to impact the design world.
Callie Barnas, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Menu design for Ceiba Restaurant. Agency: Sideways
Pickle Fest Event Design. Senior Project with Joseph Han.
Doga Bircan
Age: 28
From: Istanbul
Living in: New York, NY
Currently working as a Freelance designer
Studied at: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi / Middle East Technical University, School of Visual Arts
As a designer, storyteller, maker, thinker, and listener, Bircan takes pride in being logical and analytical, emotional and empathetic, allowing her to bring some serious fun into people’s lives through her work. She believes that having a diverse cultural background is something to be shared, celebrated, and championed. Through her work and everyday life, she takes joy in spreading joy and feeling peace by giving peace.
Bircan’s work focuses on people and stems from the need to initiate action from messages of hope, joy, desire, and even distress. She believes that design can help people take action, change behaviors, reform systems, build relationships, empower communities and so much more.
Billboard and brand refresh for ikas, an Istanbul-based new-generation e-commerce platform
Brand system for ANKA, providing emergency play support for displaced children after disasters and crises.
I want to leave my impact in the design world by doing good, spreading the good and influencing other designers to be better. This may be too ambitious, but then again, I am not one to back down from a challenge.
Doga Bircan (in her element, left), New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Shiqing Chen
Age: 25
From: Shanghai, China
Living in: Brooklyn, NY
Currently working as a freelance designer with the American Museum of Natural History and the Office of Paul Sahre
Studied at: School of Visual Arts, New York University
Shiqing Chen is a designer and new media artist. Her work focuses on combining various design systems—installation design, book design, interactive media, and data design—into innovative and cohesive visual experiences that challenge conventional frameworks.
Poster in a series inspired by Yoko Ono’s notion of “Every Drop of Water Counts.”
Chen’s project, Temporary Space documented the evolving state of a construction site in downtown Brooklyn through videos and photographs, exploring the concept of temporary urban spaces. Using game engines and modular systems, she rearranged these records in both digital and physical formats, crafting a linear narrative that captures the transient nature of such spaces while challenging traditional boundaries in video and installation design.
Temporary Space
As a creative, Chen is committed to exploring the intersection of technology and design. Cross-disciplinary integration infuses each project with unique vitality and complexity, making her work rich in meaning and depth.
Handwritten Chinese character logotype and episode cover for the podcast HuuuWalk.
I’m particularly focused on how technology can be organically integrated across various design categories, enabling the development of a new design language that is both rich and multifaceted—not only visually stunning but also intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant.
Shiqing Chen (left), New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Xuanhao (Elio) Chen
Age: 24
From: China
Living in: Jersey City, NJ
Currently working as a freelance designer
Studied at: School of Visual Arts, ArtCenter College of Design
Applying for PRINT New Visual Artists represented Elio Chen’s first step into the world of design awards, marking a significant milestone in her career and her dedication to advancing the role of design in what she sees as an increasingly interconnected world.
Over the past year, she has dedicated herself to modernizing and communicating the ancient wisdom of the I Ching to Western audiences through contemporary design methodologies. The I Ching, a cornerstone of Chinese philosophy, offers profound insights into human nature and the universe. However, its traditional presentation can be challenging for modern audiences to engage with. Chen’s goal has been to reinterpret these ancient concepts using a design language that resonates with contemporary sensibilities, making this timeless wisdom accessible and relevant to a new generation.
I Ching divination method – natural rhythm.
This project has been both a personal and professional journey for me. As someone who left China at 18 to pursue education and a career in the United States, I have experienced firsthand the complexities and richness of cross-cultural exchange. My work on the I Ching project is a testament to my commitment to using design as a tool for cultural preservation and innovation.
Xuanhao (Elio) Chen, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
In addition to her work on the I Ching, Chen has been involved in various other projects that emphasize the social impact of design. Whether it’s rebranding initiatives, motion graphics, or editorial work, her focus has always been on creating designs that foster connections and reduce anxiety in an increasingly fast-paced world.
Shaoyang Chen
Age: 29
From: Weifang, China
Living in: Portland, OR
Currently working at: Wieden + Kennedy
Studied at: University of Missouri, Waseda University, School of Visual Arts
Growing up in a small seaside city in China, Shaoyang Chen’s biggest dream was to live in NYC and work as a journalist. After receiving a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and Waseda University in Tokyo, she achieved her dream of moving to New York in 2020.
During her studies, Chen worked as a producer at an NBC Missouri affiliate, a production assistant for The Amazing Race, and an art director at a school magazine. After graduating from college, Chen worked at Avenue Magazine as an art assistant for a rebranding project in collaboration with Pentagram and was then inspired to pursue an MFA from SVA in New York.
Her goal is to blend her experiences as a journalist and designer to produce art that tells compelling stories, as with her project called Soundbite, which illuminates the misrepresentation of language in wartime from the perspective of civilians.
Soundbite
On the left side, the words are used to mask the harshness of war, while on the right side, the same words are used in their natural, everyday contexts. The left side depicts destruction and death, while the right side portrays creation and life.
Between these two sides lies the reality of our existence, the sanctuary where civilians seek refuge, and the haven for the soul to find peace. Each word captured is an audio snapshot of humanity. Together, they form a depiction of life, much like individual soundbites creating a melody.
Chen recently relocated to Portland, Oregon, where she currently works as an art director at Wieden + Kennedy.
My goal is to use design as a medium to illuminate diverse experiences and perspectives, helping to bridge gaps and enrich our collective knowledge of the world.
Shaoyang Chen, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Ghazal Foroutan
Age: 30
From: Iran
Living in: Los Angeles, CA
Currently working at: California State University San Marcos, and Peele Studio
Studied at: Alzahra University, Oklahoma State University
Ghazal Foroutan is a graphic designer, art director, and educator, specializing in typography, illustration, branding, and generative AI. Her creative pursuits are characterized by a self-driven approach with a keen socio-political focus, particularly advocating for social impact initiatives and women’s rights.
Liminal exploring transitioning from the familiarity of home to a new life across the globe.
Her ability to read and write in both languages informs her design to push the boundaries of how two distinct forms can coexist harmoniously in one piece. Many of her client projects, for example, involve integrating both English and Farsi into a single composition or creating a Farsi version of an existing English design.
Foroutan’s passion projects are deeply rooted in her identity and the challenges she has faced as an Iranian woman and immigrant in the United States, driving her to raise awareness and inspire change through design.
Noruz Poster
The “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement in Iran was a pivotal moment in her career as a designer. The movement, which called for the rights and freedom of Iranian women, resonated deeply with her—not only as an Iranian but as a woman who has witnessed and experienced the struggles of living under restrictive societal norms. Foroutan’s posters for this movement were expressions of solidarity and defiance and were used in hundreds of protests worldwide, becoming a visual representation of the movement that continues to live on—her Persian Rosie poster is now part of the permanent collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C
I believe that design activism isn’t just about physical presence; it’s about creating visual narratives that drive change. They served as a voice for those who could not speak, a beacon of hope for those who needed it, and a reminder that change is possible when people come together.
Ghazal Foroutan (left), New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Max Hauler
Age 27
From: Waterford, MI
Living in: Southfield, MI
Currently working at: Stout Collective
Studied at: Oakland Community College
Max Hauler’s grandparents brought them to their first art class as an outlet for self-expression and a way to connect with people. “From a young age, I was always kinda the art kid,” Hauler says. “Growing up in a small conservative community as a queer youth outside of Metro Detroit, I faced adversity in my surroundings and in myself.”
Hauler didn’t follow the traditional art school route. After graduating high school in 2015, they enrolled part-time at the local community college, exploring many creative paths and quickly discovering a passion for graphic design, printmaking, illustration, and typography. By 2018, they had landed their first full-time graphic artist job in screen printing. That fast-paced environment was where Max learned technical skills.
Poster for BOPP Conference, Agency: Stout Collective, Creative Director: Tanya Avoundjian.
While not having a degree, Hauler found that working in print was an accessible way to enter the design world. They sought mentorship and built a community with others who shared their ambition and hunger for creative endeavors, opening doors to their current work in the beer design world.
Design and Illustration for Blue Label Printing Co., Agency: Stout Collective.
In addition to honing their skills and expertise in design, Hauler wants to leave a profound mark on the industry.
I want to work ethically and contribute my craft to make the world better than it was for me and my community before me.
Max Hauler, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
“If I can accomplish that, I hope to impact the design world by setting an example that art is for everyone, no matter gender, sexual orientation, or financial standing,” Hauler continues. “I have learned this from the mentors who have supported my journey so far, and this is the example I hope to set.
Yutong Hu
Age: 22
From: Zhenjiang, China
Living in: New York, NY
Currently working as a Freelance designer
Studied at: School of Visual Arts
Yutong Hu’s work demonstrates the innovation and creativity that NVA celebrates. She approaches design with a sense of humor, even dubbing herself the “Chief Gummy Bear Officer.” As an international student from China, Hu brought her cultural perspective to her work and to her studies at SVA.
“My goal is to create designs that are visually striking and socially conscious, contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable design community,” Hu says. “I aim to cultivate a culture of curiosity, playfulness, and continuous learning within the design industry.
DIY (Do it yourself) typeface design.
During an assignment at SVA, Hu conducted a series of interviews about design heroes. When she asked classmates to name an Asian female graphic designer besides Natasha Jen and Tracy Ma, everyone was silent.
Through my work, I aim to fill this gap and inspire others by blending creativity, cultural identity, and innovative approaches, fostering a more inclusive and diverse design community.
Yutong Hu, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Irony Man Book Design. Photos by: Michael Northrup.
Eun Soo Kim
Age: 27
From: Seoul, South Korea
Living in: New York, NY
Currently working at: R/GA
Studied at: School of the Art Institute of Chicago, School of Visual Arts
For a newly arrived first-grade Korean girl in a Canadian school, everything was unfamiliar yet exciting to Eun Soo Kim. Coming from a homogeneous culture, the fact that she could use grey, blue, and even green to color people’s eyes in her drawings astounded her the most. Since then, her interest and passion for art grew, and upon returning to Korea, she pursued this passion by attending an art-focused middle and high school. With a clear goal of making art her profession, Kim went to Chicago to study painting.
Instinct #22 and Instinct #23 Eun Soo painting from 2018
As Kim’s work evolved, her paintings became increasingly research-based, each piece grounded in a strong rationale. This shift naturally led her to explore the field of design, where she discovered the perfect blend of creativity and problem-solving. Design allowed her to combine her artistic background with a structured approach to visual communication, resulting in work that is both aesthetically pleasing and deeply thoughtful.
Kim approaches design challenges with an artist’s eye for detail and a designer’s focus on functionality and user experience. Research is a significant part of her process—she believes in fully understanding the problem, its context, and the broader environment at the outset. For example, in an SVA brand redesign project for the Noguchi museum, she understood that Noguchi flexibly connected the outdoors and indoors through a garden environment, involving nature and the changing seasons. The new hypothetical identity of the Noguchi Museum focuses on the Noguchi’s attempts to capture the passage of time within the museum space. Including the custom typeface, the overall system speaks to an experience of the presence of time
Noguchi Museum hypothetical brand redesign.
I aim to contribute to a design culture that values creativity, thorough research, and diverse perspectives. My goal is to create work that balances aesthetics with functionality and deeply connects with its audience, leaving a meaningful and lasting impression.
Eun Soo Kim, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Madeline Montoya
Age: 28
From: Dallas, TX
Living in: Brooklyn, NY
Currently working at: Bloomberg Business Week
Studied at: Washington University in St. Louis
As a college student, engaging with various design projects and techniques, Madeline Montoya focused on how each project felt to her personally, so that she could give her best work. When she began doing more print and editorial design, that process sparked her passion than any other.
Since her graduation, Montoya has worked for Man Repeller, Domino Magazine, The New York Times, and The New York Times Style Magazine. She currently works as an art director at Bloomberg Businessweek, and helped found a new indie magazine Byline, where she still works as creative director.
Left, Art Direction for “The Year Ahead,” Luxury Section. special issue by Bloomberg Businessweek. Illustration: Jiayi Li and Rui Pu, Photography: Elizabeth Renstrom. Right, The Heist Issue by Bloomberg Businessweek. Illustration:
Max Guther, Joanne Joo, and Pedro Veneziano. Photography:
Manu Ferneini and Gulshan Khan.
Byline Issue #6: Music to our Ears. Co-Founders: Gutes Guterman + Megan O Sullivan. Illustration:
Derek Abella, Seba Cestaro, Luca Schenardi, Natalie Shields, and Rob Vargas. Photography:
Lauren Daccache, Brian Karlsson, Madison Lloyd, Marcus Maddox, Chad Moore, Nikole Naloy, Fenn Paider, Sarah Ritter, Levi Saderholm, Caroline Safran, Louisa Tantillo, Ben Turok, and Ramona Jingru Wang.
Recently, she’s also been able to share her knowledge with others, being a Society of Publications Designers (SPC) illustration reviewer two years in a row, lecturing at universities, and most recently being a magculture guest lecturer. She hopes to spread the idea that genuine passion can lead to opportunities and success.
I think as designers we’re so naturally intertwined with our creative spirit that feelings of self-worth and the pressure of living up to a perceived potential can be so much more intense than other careers. Lately I’ve been trying to steer away from that, and instead be someone who works hard, experiments and fails, and paints graphic design as a fulfilling, fun practice.
Madeline Montoya, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
As a Hispanic woman, Montoya embraces and celebrates her identity. “I get excited thinking about the possibility of my name being added to the list of Hispanic designers people look up to,” she says. “There’s such an influx of Hispanic print designers in New York right now, and it’s really important to me to be a palpable part of that.”
Zedan (Dan) Peng
Age: 24
From: Shenzhen, China
Living in: New York, NY
Currently working at: The Collected Works
Studied at: School of Visual Arts
Zedan (Dan) Peng believes that the essence of being a designer lies in the constant evolution of one’s craft. She doesn’t confine herself to a specific title or style, viewing design as an ever-expanding field with endless possibilities. With the understanding that life is long and there is always more to explore, learn, and create, Peng is driven to push beyond the boundaries of what she knows, embracing new disciplines and perspectives.
Art Basel is a for-profit international art fair held annually in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, and Paris. As a hypothetical project, Peng designed a custom typeface to represent different standing positions of people, highlighting the event’s inclusiveness in showcasing diverse reactions to various works of art.
My philosophy explains why my website lacks an “About” page—I prefer to let my work speak for itself, fostering a dialogue between people and nature through design.
Zedan (Dan) Peng, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
While design often requires a broad perspective to address complex issues, Peng believes in conveying ideas in an approachable and relatable way. Her goal is not necessarily to inspire or provoke but to engage with others in a friendly and meaningful manner. She aims for her work to connect with people on an equal level, making design a tool for genuine interaction rather than something distant or intimidating.
The TWO TEXTS project is an editorial design exercise of making one content into two versions. The main content is
the essay “Observations From a Fixed Position” by James Langdon. Two printed editions of the essay are included in the project, one with more agency and one with less agency.
Shantanu Sharma
Age: 25
From: New Delhi
Living in: New York, NY
Currently working at: 72andSunny
Studied at: School of Visual Arts
In the three years after graduating with a BFA honors at School of Visual Arts, Shantanu Sharma has amassed a prolific portfolio. He has illustrated a holiday bucket and designed and art-directed campaigns for KFC, designed a billboard that interacts with the sun for Corona, led the design for Nike’s Men’s World Cup campaign, worked on the design and art direction for Nike’s Women’s World Cup campaign, designed a 250-foot billboard for a college athlete, worked on several other campaigns for Nike, EA Sports, and Visa, and designed a 700-foot crop circle!
Hypothetical restaurant rebranding.
He’s also received accolades from the Cannes Lions, D&AD, Type Director’s Club, One Show, ADC, Clios, Graphis, and One Club’s Young Ones. His work has also been featured in Hypebeast, Dieline, Fast Company, AdAge, Adweek, Brand New, Complex, ESPN, and PRINT.
I want to leave behind a body of work that makes your heart smile, work that evokes meaning with a purposeful narrative. I hope to leave behind a body of work that reminds other designers to continue to have fun and serves as a reminder of how lucky we all are to do something we’re passionate about every day.
Shantanu Sharma, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
Design Director: Patrick Nistler, Design Producer: Tara Nielsen, Design Lead: Shantanu Sharma, Motion: Alex Burns and Shantanu Sharma, Photography: Jessica Lima.
Eager Zhang
Age: 27
From: Weihai, China
Living in: Los Angeles, CA
Currently working at: Otis College of Art and Design
Studied at: Tongi University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Eager Zhang’s journey as an emerging graphic designer is defined by a blend of creativity, multicultural insight, and professional excellence. Trained in both engineering and fine arts, their creative passion is experimental type design.
Through a blend of traditional techniques with emerging digital tools, Zhang’s work is both visually captivating and innovative in workflows and media choices. Their ongoing project, “The Guide To Be Seen,” explores the mechanics behind optical codes, such as barcodes, resulting in a typeface that functions as an augmented reality (AR) target, enabling users to create custom effects tied to individual letters.
The Guide to Be Seen
Another project, Beautiful World(s): KCAI Biennial, pushed the boundaries between creative coding (JavaScript) and printmaking. In this project, they used generative coding tools to create iterative plant patterns for exhibition posters.
Client: Kansas City Art Institute; Project Director: Raechell Smith, Michael Schonhoff; Project Manager: Marcus Cain.
In addition to their design work, Zhang has dedicated the past three years to pedagogical practice through their role as an assistant professor at Otis College of Art and Design. Also deeply engaged with social media, they actively share their design processes online and interact with followers to foster a supportive and inclusive community and facilitate conversations that bring progressive ideas from the forefront of the industry to a diverse audience.
My goal is to use education and community engagement to build a more equitable and inclusive design world, where new voices are encouraged to flourish and future generations feel empowered to push the field forward.
Eager Zhang, New Visual Artists 15 Under 30
New Visual Artist Over 30
Minkwan (Min) Kim
Age: 32
From: South Korea
Living in: New York, NY
Currently working as an independent art director and designer
Studied at: University of the Arts London, School of Visual Arts
Minkwan (Min) Kim is an independent designer and art director based in New York City and currently working as a freelance designer at Google. Kim’s approach to design centers around the belief that typography is more than just a visual component—it’s a powerful tool for communication that can profoundly influence how messages are perceived and understood.
Concert brand identity for Lil Nas X Typography and Print Design. Studio: Saad Moosajee; Client: Lil Nas X; Role: Design, Typography, Lettering.
Kim has worked with leading design agencies such as Gretel, 2×4, Something Special Studios, and Porto Rocha, as well as major corporations like Nike as well as Google—experiences that have allowed him to hone his skills and explore how typography can be leveraged to elevate design.
In 2023, he was named one of the Ascenders at the Type Directors Club, a recognition that further fueled his dedication and commitment to pushing the boundaries of typography and exploring its potential to add depth and meaning to design. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including D&AD, Type Directors Club, Art Directors Club, The One Show, and the Red Dot Design Award.
YouTube Music PRIDE Campaign 22-23. Campaign Brand Identity. Client: Google; Studio: Google; Role: Concept, Design, Animation, Custom Lettering.
I want to show how typography can be a powerful tool for communication in design. My goal is to inspire designers to use typography not just functionally, but as a key element that adds depth to their communication.
Minkwan (Min) Kim, New Visual Artist Over 30
Header image: Illustration by Flora Bai