Meet ZIHAO LI | Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with ZIHAO LI and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi ZIHAO, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from Guangzhou, China. I think my thinking is largely influenced by the environment I grew up in. I think art is rebellious because it is an area that is not valued or even looked upon in our country. All tend to study majors such as mathematics and physics. At the same time, I don’t like learning things that don’t interest me. So since middle school, I was considered a poor student, so I embarked on the path of art and became a rebel.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The stuff I make is generally considered to be very personal to me. This is where I am different from others. My style comes from my experiences, thinking, and friends around me. Inspiration will burst out when you collide with different valuable ideas. I love philosophy and I will put my own philosophical thoughts into my works. At the same time, I love the avant-garde visual style, which is one of the things that makes me unique.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start my day by looking for a Cantonese style morning tea in San Gabriel. Then go for a walk in Laguna Beach. There are many cafes suitable for chilling. Then at night, I will choose to drive my friends to Mulholland Drive to see the night view of LA. Went to Pasadena for a bowl of Japanese ramen in the evening.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I think the people I need to thank and acknowledge the most are my parents. As I said, in the eyes of most Chinese people, the art industry is not good, it is a major for poor students, and it has no future. But when I suddenly realized that I loved art and had the confidence to do well only within this industry, my parents gave me unconditional support. They told me they were willing to support my ideas and plans as long as I was willing to put in the effort. So the biggest help in getting me to where I am today comes from my parents.

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