IAN CHENWORK / ARCHIVE / INFO@IANCHEN.8CHENIANRZ@GMAIL.COMIan Chen is a graphic designer based in Brooklyn, with a deep passion for branding, typography, type design, and editorial design. Earned a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Currently at Interbrand. Previously worked at Gretel, Red Antler, and FCB Chicago.  Past clients include New York City FC, Tempur-Pedic, RMHC, and Verizon. 

Sorry Mom, I Lied  
Editorial Design

To report only what is good while withholding the unpleasant. On August 10th, 2015 I left everything I knew at home and arrived at the Portland airport in Maine, USA, with just 2 heavy suitcases.  I was excited by the possibility of studying, and at the same time, I felt out of control and overwhelmed.

What I was experiencing and what I told my parents were two completely different things. Why? That’s what I wanted to find out in this personal project documenting my experience.

I used two language systems— Chinese and English—to distinguish between lies and truths. My text and typography were both confession and narrative. The paper material helps show the relationship between lies and truth—sometimes hidden or visible.

Here you might pick up on the idea of memory, or another insight you gained.

Dimensions: 110 x 150 mm
Page count: 140
Paper: Light white kraft paper