Deqiu welcomes artists from 19 countries

The 3rd Deqiu Shanghai International Illustration Fair from April 17-20 has kicked off the annual art season of the Deqiu Cultural and Creative Park in Minhang District which will run till July.

The park-turned illustration-themed town was immersed in a sea of people visiting the venue and the cheerful and transcending effect of artworks and their derivative products, where visitors purchased its goods and admired its around 200 illustration artists.

Illustrators Yi Yan, Lin Xiaoqing, Yuan Quan'er, Su Xiaoci, Caro and Wang Meinan have taken part in the annual art event for two successive years.

"It's like fulfilling a promise to attend a rendezvous every April," said Su.

Many artists from abroad have been attracted to the China illustration market via this art season. They hail from 19 countries including the US, Chile, Argentina Venezuela and France. Many of them have cooperated with global brands such as Hermès, Gucci, LV and Coach.

Lin Xiaoqing, a graduate in decorative arts and design from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 2023, missed the 1st Deqiu illustration fair that year, yet was lucky to become one of the six young artists members of its artist residence project later.

"That was the first time I visited Shanghai and I was amazed that in a metropolis of lifestyles so quick there is a land of idyllic beauty and peace in Deqiu," said Lin.

"I saw the vines in the gardens and they inspired me to draw. I therefore finished one of my representative works here, 'Moments in Life I Almost Doing Nuts,'" Lin said.

She uses white paper and a fine point pen as her creative tools and her works are in black and white. "I was doubtful of myself if this 'narrow' style can survive in the beginning," Lin recalled.

She was introduced into studios of other artists in the cultural and creative park and this broadened her horizons. Later she was enrolled to continue her creative works in the second artist residence project, when she was inspired to create her "New Era Amulet" series and derivative products.

This time she has brought her "Little Shop Window" series and its 2.0 version derivative products for this 3rd illustration fair.

Yuan Quan'er, another artist, brought her latest "Wonderful World" series to the fair.

"The world is colorful because we're diverse," she said. "I'll record more diverse point of views, cultural aspects and wonderful souls of mankind in this world."

Solution to cultural park's transition

The smooth transition of Deqiu to an illustration-themed town offers a solution.

"Shanghai has at least 150 cultural and creative parks and their major business is space leasing," said Yi Du, a poet and management assistant of Deqiu Cultural and Creative Park. "One frequent dilemma they have encountered in recent years is how to rent out their spaces for a longer time and how to create more economic benefits for their tenant firms and studios."

In 2023, two illustration-related art institutes, Zhi Jian illustration studio and a print studio, settled in Deqiu. Zhao Yong, chairman of the board of Deqiu, then decided to choose the arena of the illustration sector as a way to break their bottleneck.

"Illustration is quite popular among young people. In addition illustration-related business is able to yield economic benefits quickly," Yi said.

The cultural and creative park then explored its way of integrating cultural innovation, commercial operations and the festival and exhibition economy, to create an industrial chain ecology of resources, products and consumption.

Their niche sectors include illustration and garment design, illustration and Lego blocks, illustration and cafe, bar space design, illustration and porcelain making DIY, illustration and crafting such as horticulture and bamboo weaving.

"Freedom and self-discipline, skills and thoughts, helps one become a better illustrator. And last but not least, be your own product management," Yi suggested for would-be illustrators.