A Creative Seminar of Expo Mascot

A lovely animal or an imaginary character, a single hero or a group of cheerful friends? Whatever kind of looking the upcoming mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai will be, it will be an image for the prosperous Shanghai and a messenger between the east and the west.

In the blooming spring, a heated discussion about the mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai took place on the cruise Princess Rose sailing along the Huangpu River.

Since the international solicitation of the Expo mascot released on January 17, the design of the Expo mascot has drawn great attention of both common people and artists.

The organizers dispatched eight teams traveling more than 40,000 kilometer home and abroad and provide a door to door promotion to over 15,000 people, asking them to submit ideas about the Expo mascot.

Widely known as something that can bring good luck, cheery, attractive and lovely mascots are always a fascinating highlight at big events such as World Expos and the Olympics.

Tracing back to the 2005 Aichi Expo, Morizo and Kiccoro, two imaginative animated forest fairies conveyed the expo theme. And other mascots in the World Expos' history like Twipsy (2000 Hanover Expo), owning a man's foot and a woman's foot together with a large hand, and Gil (1999 Lisbon Expo), named after Portuguese navigator and explorer Gil Eanes, are imaginary characters.

What bearing in designers' mind can help to create mascot representing Shanghai and China? More than 150 experts and scholars gathered here to exchange ideas on the mascot.

The organizers expect designers to provide the mascot of Shanghai Expo with innovation, globalization and sustainable development, which grows out of Chinese traditional culture and represents the trend of the modern world. 

Hon Bing-wah, President of the Hong Kong Designers Association, prefers imaginative characters for they can show correspondence of the theme regardless the nationalism and regions. "The design of the mascot is for a global event, so it has to hold a global concern," said Hon.

Hon also said that the Expo mascot needs a modern appearance which could represent the core concept of World Expos -- innovation and high-technology -- and a Chinese spirit which could pass on Chinese culture to the world.

Famous Chinese designer Chen Youjian regards imagination as the key element. "Besides what we can see by our own eyes, abstract space is more important. Sometimes exquisite craftsmanship is not necessary, but abstract space for imagination is a must," said Chen.

Mi Qiu, an artist, thinks the conflicts between fashionable icons and traditional elements can be avoided by three ways: break through traditional worship and representation, cut in through the processing of urbanization or merely pursue visible beauty.

"Young artists should stand out," said Weng Ling, artist, Aldo Cibic, Domus Academy professor.

"From my points of view, the mascot is light, thin, soft and lovely. And it is the design from the kids and teenagers that could realize these feelings. They will bring us things beyond our imagination and beloved by everyone."

Daryl Joseph Moorm, dean of Montclair University Design Academy, said, "The final design of the mascot may be very close to common life. The mascot for Expo should like the constructions along the bond which leave a deep visionary impact on people. It is a hint of China and the nice life in China echoing the really good theme 'Better City, Better Life.'"

Yang Xiahui, Famous designer from Taiwan, points out that the sustainable running of the brand is as important as the instant profits from souvenirs.

The Expo mascot is unveiled at the end of 2007. And the solicitation unveils the whole vision design of the Shanghai Expo. From the color of the Expo area and pavilion to the entering ticket, whatever route a designer takes, it leads to the same destination ¨C to create a great World Expo for Shanghai, China.