Lu, Chenyang / Shanghai Normal University / Safety first

Winner’s Comment

Thank you so much for this recognition. When I heard the news, it really felt like a dream. I’ve joined this competition for four years, so being selected and awarded this time is a great honor for me.More importantly, I feel the strong humanistic spirit and design values that Japanese designers have always upheld. During my trip to Tokyo last year, I visited the National Art Center by chance and saw the previous student exhibition. I was deeply moved by the pure imagination and creativity of those works. That experience stayed with me, and it became one of the reasons that keeps me creating.
My intention in this work was simple — to express real emotions and offer emotional value to the audience. Some may feel tension, some joy, and some a quiet heaviness. I believe design should speak to the heart.
My work comes from real experiences, and I think it reflects the childhood of many Asian children. In both China and Japan, children grow up with love, but also with pressure. Parents worry too much, plan too much, and sometimes decide their children’s futures for them — even in college. Protection often becomes a kind of limitation. In my poster, the balloon represents the child — born to float freely, but tightly held by excessive love and control. The more we try to protect, the less they can breathe.
As designers, I believe we have a mission: not only to create beauty, but also to speak for humanity, emotions, and universal values. When we see real problems, we should not stay silent. This honor is not only recognition — it is also a responsibility. I will continue to observe, to feel, and to create — with empathy, honesty, and passion.
Thank you.

(Speech delivered at the award ceremony held in the auditorium of the National Art Centre, Tokyo, on 29 November 2025)

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