Interview with Wing Sze Wincy Kung

I founded my own creative practice, Wincy Kung, alongside InSeal, a social venture dedicated to preserving and reimagining Chinese seal carving for contemporary audiences.

Through Wincy Kung, I work as an artist, illustrator and designer, developing research-led projects that explore cultural heritage through visual storytelling. My practice involves creating new artworks, exhibiting internationally, applying for grants and commissions, managing client relationships, selling artwork, developing partnerships, and overseeing my website and social media. Running my own practice has taught me how to build a sustainable creative business while developing skills in project management, communication, fundraising, marketing, and strategic planning.

Alongside this, I founded InSeal, a social venture that combines a traditional Chinese seal carving toolkit with an illustrated storybook. The project explores the past, present and future of Chinese seal carving, from its historical development and traditional making process, to the voices of contemporary artisans in Hong Kong, and possibilities for its future revitalisation.

InSeal is more than a craft toolkit. It is an educational and cultural platform that uses storytelling, hands-on making, and design to reconnect people with an endangered cultural heritage. By making the tradition more accessible and engaging, I hope to inspire new generations to appreciate, learn about, and participate in preserving this unique art form.

To me, design is a way of understanding the world. I'm curious about how things are made, why they are designed in a certain way, and how people interact with them.

For example, when I take a train, I don't just think about getting from one place to another. I wonder how the train, the stations, and the entire system were designed, and how they meet the needs of different people. That curiosity extends to everything, from architecture and graphic design to cultural heritage, food, and sustainability.

Design is much more than creating something beautiful. It's about understanding people, solving problems, telling stories, and making a positive impact. My understanding of design is still evolving, and that's what makes being a designer so exciting to me.

I enjoy designing visual and spatial experiences that connect with people, traditions, and cultural heritage. I'm particularly interested in exploring the stories behind cultural practices and finding ways to communicate them through illustration, design, and storytelling.

I enjoy researching, visualising, and reinterpreting these stories, thinking about how design can create meaningful experiences, preserve cultural heritage, and help people connect with history and stories in new ways.

It's difficult to choose just one favourite design because I'm inspired by many different designers and artists. I love collecting illustration and graphic design books and exploring different approaches to visual storytelling.

Some of the creatives who have inspired me most are Pat Wingshan Wong, Victo Ngai, junaida, and the Japanese ukiyo-e tradition.

I think serve it purpose and respond to the design problem.

I believe designers have a responsibility beyond solving problems. We should consider how our work affects society and the environment, and strive to create a positive impact.

Design has the power to connect people and communities, preserve cultural heritage, and contribute to a more sustainable future. I also believe designers can support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by creating more inclusive, human-centred, and environmentally responsible solutions.

I believe design will continue to become more interdisciplinary as technology evolves. New technologies are creating exciting opportunities for designers to communicate ideas, tell stories, and create more engaging experiences. I see technology as a tool to support design, the role of a designer is still to understand people, respond to real needs, and create meaningful and positive impact.

My most recent exhibition was The Graduate Art Show at Art Movement Gallery in London, where I exhibited my artwork Reimagining the Chinese Seal in the Spring and Autumn Period. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow artists, share my work with the public, and have inspiring conversations about cultural heritage, printmaking, and illustration.

Looking ahead, I hope to continue exhibiting in collaborative group exhibitions while also curating another solo exhibition. My previous solo exhibition, Unfolding Cultural Heritage Echoes in Peckham Levels, London was an important milestone in my career. Supported by UAL Exhibition Space, the exhibition brought together illustration, spatial design, and animation to explore how cultural heritage can be preserved, reimagined, and shared across different communities.

That experience showed me the value of creating an immersive narrative through a carefully curated body of work. Once I have completed my current series, I would love to organise another solo exhibition

I would describe my design as research-led , narrative, and interdisciplinary that combines illustration, architecture, spatial design, storytelling to explore cultural heritage and the connections between people, places, and traditions.

This approach comes from my curiosity about culture and my passion for learning from traditional craftsmen and communities. I enjoy conducting research, visiting sites, and engaging in conversations before I begin designing. I think the main characteristic of my work is detailed visual storytelling. I aim to transform design and concept into engaging visual experiences that encourage people to discover, reflect and connect with cultural heritage.

I currently live in the UK, but I grew up in Hong Kong, and its cultural heritage has had a profound influence on my work. I have always been fascinated by Hong Kong's traditional crafts, everyday street life, local communities, and the strong sense of human connection they create. These experiences continue to inspire my designs.

One of the greatest advantages of designing with this background is the diversified of cultural stories waiting to be discovered. Through research and conversations with craftsmen and local communities, I find lots of inspiration for new projects. However, rapid urban development, economic pressures, and a decline in traditional apprenticeships have caused many historic places, crafts, and cultural practices to disappear. Witnessing these changes has strengthened my belief that design can play an important role in documenting, preserving, and reimagining cultural heritage for future generations.

My design process has been strongly influenced by my background in architecture and spatial design. Every project begins with research, observation, and site visits. I spend time understanding the context by talking with people, exploring places, and studying their history and culture. I often organise my research using mind maps and questions such as *who, what, where, when, why,* and *how* to identify relationships and opportunities.

Once I have developed a clear understanding of the project, I sketch different concepts and refine the strongest ideas. Depending on the project, I may create 3D models to explore spatial relationships before transforming them into detailed 2D illustrations. I combine hand drawing with digital tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, to develop the final visual language.

Whether I am designing an illustration, exhibition, or product, I always consider how people will experience it, where it will be used, and what impact it can have. My goal is to create work that communicates meaningful stories, responds to needs, and connects people.

I would encourage young designers to stay curious, ask questions, and never be afraid to try. Take time to research, observe, and understand the world around you. I believe that when you pursue what you genuinely care about and use design to respond to people's needs, your creative voice will naturally emerge. Most importantly, I hope every designer can find their own purpose and create work that reflects their values.

I believe the most important skills for a designer are curiosity, observation, empathy, and communication. These qualities help us understand people, ask meaningful questions, and develop thoughtful solutions. More importantly, they shape a designer's mindset, encouraging us to keep learning, exploring, and creating work with purpose.

My toolbox combines both digital and traditional ways of working. Depending on the project, I use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Clip Studio Paint, Procreate, Rhino, SketchUp, and Mental Canvas for illustration, graphic design, layout, and 3D visualisation. Each tool serves a different purpose, from developing concepts and building spatial models to creating detailed final artwork.

For project planning and collaboration, I use Notion and Figma to organise research, develop concepts, and track the design process.

Beyond software, books are one of my most valuable design tools. I spend a lot of time in libraries exploring books on design, architecture, illustration, history, and cultural heritage. I also follow design publications such as Designboom, ArchDaily and A’ Design Award, to discover innovative project and learn how designer from different disciplines approach design challenges. Often, some idea come from connecting subjects that seem unrelated, discovering unexpected relationships, and transforming them into new concepts through design.

I hope to continue developing research-led projects that combine illustration, spatial design, cultural heritage and education. I would like to collaborate with museums and cultural organisations, publish more books, develop InSeal, and curate more exhibitions and workshops.

I'm currently developing InSeal, a social venture that reimagines Chinese seal carving through a craft toolkit and an illustrated storybook. More than a traditional craft kit, InSeal combines cultural heritage, storytelling, and hands-on making to make this traditional art form more accessible to contemporary audiences. Through learning, creating, and making, I hope it will inspire more people to appreciate Chinese seal carving and help pass this cultural knowledge on to future generations.

People can contact me with email: wincykung22@gmail.com

instagram: @wincy_szee

website: www.wincykung.com