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.

Photograph of patches belonging to multiple leather clubs

In my practice I forsake objectivity and neutrality, the outdated ideologies of graphic design, in favour of embracing individual and cultural differences.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.

Large Variety of Meat, Poultry & Fish is a designed publication that explores the vernacular signage found in halal butchers, immigrant-owned fishmongers and Afro food stores located around London, and the diverse cultures and communities they represent.

The publication explores my journey in uncovering Photo Plus, the sole designer behind the signs, featuring extensive photography of 24 individual shops that share the same distinct style of signage. The work includes a visual analysis of the various graphic systems that make up the visual identity of Photo Plus, alongside graphic documentation of the common language that can be found within these signs. Finally, it delves into the unique cultural signifiers and identities of each shop, supported by an interview with Shepherd’s Bush-based halal butcher, Amir.

Medium:

publication, spiral bound, 294 pages, UV printed clear PVC outer cover

Size:

37cm x 28cm

Beneath The ‘Stache & Leather is a publication that features the re-formatting and re-design of 31 member’s only newsletters belonging to a now-defunct 2000s Midlands-based leather fetish club. These newsletters, housed within the Bishopsgate Institute, span numerous years and include detailed reports of the inner workings of the Midland Link Motorsport Club (MLMSC). With in-depth reports on annual brunch-outings, alongside touching obituaries for late long-standing members, these stories range from the comically mundane to the heart-wrenching.

The rationale behind the re-format and re-design is due to the nature of the original newsletters, as they consist of loose sheets of unorganised A4 paper, with the intent of being only circulated to active members. Therefore, both the story of the club and the numerous insights would be lost to the general public if left untouched.

Beneath The ‘Stache & Leather also features photographs of the club and its members taken from Link Line, the published newsletter of the MLMSC.