A shredded book.
I like the fact that it makes you wonder if it's even a book.

In spring 2023, the exhibition "Another Reading - Contemporary Book Design from ChinaThis is a catalogue for "The Book of China." It introduces over 20 of China's leading contemporary book designers, and was designed by Chinese designer He Jumping, who also served as the book's curator.

He believes that "book design should be evaluated in the context of art," and that the reason book design never goes out of style is because of the magic of the book itself.

The twenty designers invited to this exhibition are of all genders and generations. They are all influential designers on a global scale who pour extraordinary passion into book design. However, the income from book design is surprisingly small compared to other design fields such as architecture and advertising, and the compensation is not commensurate with their passion and the amount of work they do. He, who designs many books himself, says that after seeing their vibrant designs, he realized that it is the appeal of the book itself that drives the book designers active in modern China.

The book, whose entire front cover has been shredded, is great in that it is questionable whether it is even a book. It is subversive, challenging, and innovative, yet it does not give up on the fact that it is a book.

We hope that in the near future the work of book designers will be rewarded. In this respect, we feel that there is something in common between the activities of FRAGILE BOOKS and hesign.


<Exhibition Participating Designers>

Gu Hanyun/顾瀚允
Guang Yu
Jiang Qian & Qu Minmin
Jiang Song
Li Rang/李让
Lu Mingjing
Lü Jingren/吕EI人
Lü Min/吕旻
Ma Shirui/马し睿
Mak Kai-hang
Pan Yanrong
Seki Kam/Shiowa
Studio NA.EO(Mi He & Liu Zhizhi)/No Entry (Mi He & Liu Zhizhi)
Sun Xiaoxi/孙晓曦
UDL (Fang Jianping & Ding Fan)/UDL (Fang Jianping & Ding Fan)
Yin Linlin
Zhang Zhiqi
Zhao Qing/Zhao Qing
Zhi Jin/paper now
Zhou Chen
Zhou Weiwei/Zhou Weiwei
Zhu Chao

Jianping He

Born in China, he currently lives and works in Berlin. After studying graphic design at the China Academy of Art, he studied fine arts under Heinz-Jürgen Christen at the University of the Arts Berlin. In 2011, he received his PhD in cultural history from the Free University of Berlin. He taught at the University of the Arts Berlin from 2001 to 2008, and was a visiting professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a professor for doctoral students at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou from 2006 to 2019. In 2002, he founded the Berlin-based design studio "Hesign". In 2008, he opened a second branch in Hangzhou, China.

Jianping He studied graphic design at the China Academy of Art from 1991 to 1994 and graduated in 1995 with a bachelor's degree. From 1997 to 2001 he studied fine arts under Heinz Jürgen Kristahn at the Berlin University of the Arts, where he received his diploma and became a master student in 2001. In 2011 he did his doctorate in cultural history at the Free University of Berlin.He taught at the Berlin University of the Arts from 2001 to 2008 and worked as a visiting professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as well as a professor for doctoral students at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou from 2006 to 2019. In 2002 he founded his design studio Hesign based in Berlin. In 2008, he opened a second branch in Hangzhou, China.