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The chief designer of the emblem of the Ninth National Games offered advice for the 15th National Games, Kuang Danni: Design, to make the strategy visible
"It's the first time I've come to the venue of the opening ceremony of the Games. On April 22, Kuang Danni, the chief designer of the emblem of the 9th National Games, sighed when she stepped on the lawn of the Olympic Sports Center in Guangdong Province. Although she has never been here, the scene of designing the emblem more than 20 years ago is still vivid.
A few days ago, the emblem of the 15th National Games and other four major logos are in the global collection stage. Danni Kwong flew back to Guangzhou from Australia as a guest to contribute to the design of the emblem. More than 20 years ago, she and Han Xiaoying led the team to design the emblem of the Ninth National Games, breaking the stereotype of the previous event emblems composed of runways, torches and other patterns, and using a pattern similar to a rhythmic gymnast throwing ribbons, abstractly integrating the meanings of leaping, breakthrough, galloping, and "9", "creating an era" in the field of national emblem design.
Danni Kwong and the emblem of the Ninth National Games she designed.
"The emblem is an important symbol of the sports event, it is not only a LOGO, but also a carrier to show the image of the city and establish the city brand. Kuang Danni said that the emblem of the Ninth National Games showed the world Guangdong, which is galloping and spanning the new century. The emblem of the 15th National Games, co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, should also encapsulate the vision for the future development of the Greater Bay Area.
Design, make the strategy visible
"It's the Year of the Dragon, the Day of the Dragon, the Moon of the Dragon, the Time of the Dragon, and the sun is out, so it's a good day. "Danni Kwong now lives in Australia, and when she returns to Guangzhou, everything is still so familiar and familiar, and the years when she designed the emblem more than 20 years ago are still fresh in my memory.
In 1999, as a well-known Tianyi advertising company in the domestic advertising industry, it received an invitation from the Organizing Committee of the Ninth National Games to design the emblem, and Kuang Danni served as the company's creative director, and Han Xiaoying was the chairman.
"At that time, the collection for the emblem had already been carried out and more than 3,000 works had been received, but none of them were satisfactory. Kwong Danni said that they put the emblems of the first eight years together and analyzed them, and found that all the emblems were the patterns of runways and torches, and even as a "layman" in the design of the emblem of the competition, they felt that it was very lacking in novelty.
The designers of the emblem of the Ninth National Games are Kuang Danni and Han Xiaoying.
At that time, Australia was preparing for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and it happened that Kwong's friend Ken Kaitu was the chief architect of the event, and she immediately decided to fly to Australia to learn from the Olympics.
"When we boarded the plane in Guangzhou, we found that the inside and outside of the plane were full of Olympic elements, and the blue carpet and fuselage exterior decoration made us feel a strong Olympic atmosphere. Han Xiaoying recalled that when he arrived in Sydney, the whole city was also wrapped in Olympic elements, and the vision was shrouded in vibrant blue, which made people very cheerful. The visit broadened her mind and horizons, and when she returned to Guangzhou, she gradually clarified her thinking. How to make the macro vision fall on a small emblem? She believes that first of all, the emblem should be combined with key words such as sports and the ninth edition. Secondly, the Ninth National Games is a cross-century National Games, and there must be a sense of leapfrogging in it. In addition, Guangdong was on the way to take off at that time, and the emblem should make people feel the power of forging ahead.
"Design, make strategy visible. This is the motto of our previous brand, and it is also the core concept of designing the emblem. Han Xiaoying said that the design of the emblem is a high degree of condensation, is the core expression of communication, and uses an emblem to achieve the strategic goal of urban development.
After repeated improvements, they submitted three versions of the design draft, and finally one of them became the final selection.
Emblem of the Ninth National Games.
A rhythmic gymnast throwing a ribbon jumped onto the page, striding across "2001", and the combination of limbs and streamers resembled a "9". Just a few lines contain many meanings, and everyone can give a unique interpretation, but they all focus on the point of the Ninth National Games in Guangdong.
It is no accident that innovation comes from Guangdong
It is no accident that an emblem that "created an era" appeared in Guangdong, which hosted the Ninth National Games. First of all, the people of Guangdong, who have always dared to be the first and have always stood at the forefront of the tide of reform and opening up, broke through the fund-raising model of the previous National Games, which mainly relied on government actions and administrative means, drew on the experience of foreign countries in holding competitions, and embarked on a new way of using market mechanisms to raise funds. Second, the event is the first National Games of the 21st century, and the new century needs to break through the previous stereotypes.
In fact, the two designers of the emblem of the Ninth National Games, Kuang Danni and Han Xiaoying, are also one of the representatives of reform and innovation.
Han Xiaoying revealed that he was once a director of Zhuying, and in line with the east wind of reform and opening up, he became the first director in Guangdong to "go to the sea". The advertising agency he and Kwong Danni founded in 1992 was also one of the first private advertising agencies in Guangzhou.
Badge of the Ninth Games.
They can become the trendsetters of the times, thanks to standing on the wave of reform and opening up.
Born in Guangzhou, Kwong Danni grew up in Guangzhou, attended primary school in Bayi Primary School, studied junior high school in Zhixin, and studied design at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Han Xiaoying is also a native of Guangzhou, and has witnessed the development of his hometown from a small town to a metropolis. The true affection and love for the city make it easier for them to take the pulse of the city.
"Actually, our design draft is a little more complicated than the final version. When the organizing committee approved, we were also worried that we would add a lot of elements such as kapok and Yangcheng, which would be contrary to the design concept of conciseness, simplicity and imagination, and we even prepared a number of reasons to refute the modification requirements. Kwong Danni said that to her surprise, the organizing committee not only did not add elements, but made some deletions, and they were relieved. This shows that the organizing committee's concept at that time was also in line with the trend and advancing with the times. ”
To make a breakthrough, we must draw nourishment from culture
The emblem designed by Kwong Danni and Han Xiaoying received numerous praises after the debut of the Ninth National Games. His works have also won the gold medal of the "China Star" Design Competition, the gold medal of the Guangdong Star Excellent Design Competition, the silver medal of the Zhongnan Star Award, and the silver medal of the National Excellent Design Competition.
Danni Kwong has won numerous awards for designing the emblem of the Ninth National Games.
Regarding the question of whether she will participate in the design of the emblem of the 15th National Games, Kwong Danni said with a smile that "the two have retired", which means that she hopes to put the heavy responsibilities and opportunities in the hands of young people.
However, for the emblem of Guangdong's third hosting of the National Games, Kuang Danni still has some suggestions. For example, she said that when she lived abroad, she would be secretive when she spoke Cantonese, fearing that foreigners would think they were from a backward place. Now I speak Cantonese abroad with my head held high, because the motherland is getting stronger and stronger.
"Compared with 2001, both China and Guangdong are at different stages of development and have different development strategies, and the new emblem should be combined with the background of the new era. But one thing remains the same, which is to condense the vision for future development, this time focusing on elements of the Greater Bay Area. ”
The emblem on the hat of an international friend.
"Guangzhou today has changed a lot from 20 years ago, and is now a major city in the world, covering a wider range of content. Similarly, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao jointly hosted the National Games, and the design should identify the cultural genes and cultural positioning of the Greater Bay Area. Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao should have breakthroughs, especially cultural breakthroughs, to think from this height, and to refine the connotation from the height of brand strategy design. Han Xiaoying said.
[Writing] Southern + reporter Bloomberg
【Photography/Videography】Southern + Reporter Yao Zhihao
[Editing] Southern + reporter Long Dayang
【Authors】 Peng Bo, Yao Zhihao, Long Dayang
[Source] Southern Press Media Group Southern + client