Contemporary Chinese Paper Cut

The contemporary Chinese paper cut used in HSBC's China Design Now advertising campaign was commissioned from Chinese artist Han Jing from Shanxi. Han Jing made his first paper cut at the age of 15 after being inspired by the folk artists of his hometown. He fell in love with paper cutting and was taken in as a student of the famous self taught paper cut master Ku Shu Lan and remained her protégé for ten years.

Paper cutting is an ancient handicraft and just as the China Design Now exhibition is bringing contemporary Chinese design to the UK, this advertising aims to challenge people's perceptions of China by putting a contemporary twist on a traditional art form. Notice the references to modern design and culture within the paper cut whether it is fashion, youth culture, or digital media which exemplify China today.

The advertising was created by JWT London.