Mick Chen

Mick Chen is a London-based multidisciplinary graphic designer who specialises in editorial design and has over 4 years of professional experience within visual communication, from identity and branding to poster and publication design.

Mick’s practice is research-led and engages in processes of unearthing the unseen, unexpected and unknown. He has an interest in subjects that are often on the peripheries of culture and society, which might at first seem strange and mundane, however through his research he aims to dig beneath the surface to reveal the value of places and communities. His recent projects range from an in-depth exploration of the signage found in halal butchers, immigrant-owned fishmongers and Afro food stores located around London to the re-formatting and re-design of the member’s only newsletters of a now-defunct 2000s Midlands-based leather fetish club.   

Previously he worked as a designer in roles within publishing, fashion and creative/design agencies. For example, at Cult LDN he was employed as the lead editorial designer for CULT issue 01: Heritage, an agency-first magazine that explores how individuals view themselves relative to their cultural identities and how this shapes their relationship to fashion.

Mick obtained BA (hons) in Graphic and Media Design from the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London (2020). He is currently completing MA Visual Communication at the Royal College of Art.

In my practice I forsake objectivity and neutrality, the outdated ideologies of graphic design, in favour of embracing individual and cultural differences. Just like with people, design should celebrate its diversity, unique spaces and styles. I believe design should act as a safe space for its audiences, in which they can feel at home and belong. Large Variety of Meat, Poultry & Fish is a publication that explores the vernacular signage found in halal butchers, immigrant-owned fishmongers and Afro food stores located around London, and the diverse communities these shops represent. It is intended to serve the communities with whom it is co-produced; the individuals who work to sell you fresh produce and dry goods and who are located at the heart of their communities. My intention is to make public the value of these shops, their communities and the local economies towards which they contribute.

Throughout this project I utilised multiple methodologies that would help me focus on the important themes of the work. For example, I devised a methodology that would help me honour the signs and their designer through embracing an all-inclusive mindset where I refused to subtract or reject. I then borrowed particular design methods and techniques gathered from the signs, such as the unique use of imagery, and used them in combination with my own to generate a new process that would both pay respect to the designer and avoid fetishising or pastiching.

During the project, I developed another key methodology to respect the culture and communities housed within the shops, in which I revisited each one of the 24 featured shops as a customer, instead of a photographer. I purchased a different item from each shop, items that might seem like novelties to some or mundane to the regular customer. These items are showcased in the publication alongside a brief explanation. This not only allowed me to offer a small contribution to each store but also provided insight into the culture and products of the various shops. 

As a final way to give back to these communities and also to express my gratitude, I intend to produce a second run of the publication, limited to 24 copies, allowing me to give one to each of the featured shops.