Artist Interview: Yuchan Wu
Yuchan Wu is a multidisciplinary designer and visual artist whose work spans from graphic design and UI/UX to children’s book illustrations. For Yuchan, design is a means of questioning, disrupting, and offering new perspectives. By reimagining the familiar and highlighting contradictions, her work aims to unsettle, inspire, and reveal new possibilities in the way we navigate reality.
The artist challenges conventional boundaries, using design as a tool to provoke thought and spark meaningful dialogue. Her work has earned recognition through prestigious awards, including the Muse Awards for Vektor VR, the IDA Award for Wizdrobe, an AI-driven wardrobe assistant merging fashion and technology, and the Marcom Award for the branding project Hermonia.
Cansu Peker, founder of Digital Arts Blog, asked Yuchan about her art, creative process, and inspirations.
CP: Can you tell us about your background as a digital designer? How did you get started in this field?
YW: My journey into digital design began with a strong foundation in graphic and industrial design, but it was the discovery of digital media that truly defined my path. Fascinated by the intersection of design, technology, and human experience, I naturally gravitated toward UI/UX and digital art as avenues for exploring interactive and immersive storytelling.
Over the years, I’ve refined my skills across multiple design disciplines, evolving from traditional forms of design to more dynamic digital experiences. My academic background provided a solid grounding in visual communication, while my passion for technology pushed me to experiment with innovative tools and platforms. What excites me most is the ability to use digital design not just as a means of aesthetic expression, but as a powerful medium to craft engaging narratives, challenge conventions, and create thought-provoking experiences.
CP: How do you see design as a tool for questioning conventional boundaries and provoking thought?
YW: Design, at its most powerful, goes beyond aesthetics — it is a tool for provoking thought, challenging conventions, and sparking meaningful dialogue. I see design as a medium to navigate complex ideas, breaking traditional confines to reveal new perspectives. My work often explores the tensions between nature, technology, and human experience, using surreal visual metaphors to highlight contradictions that might otherwise go unnoticed.
By reimagining everyday objects or juxtaposing unexpected elements, design has the ability to disrupt familiarity and encourage deeper reflection. It serves as both a mirror and a lens—simultaneously reflecting the intricacies of our world while offering new ways to perceive them. For me, the most compelling design is one that unsettles, inspires, and opens up possibilities for reinterpreting the reality we take for granted.
CP: Your work spans graphic design, UI/UX, and visual storytelling. How do you approach blending these disciplines in a single project?
YW: For me, blending graphic design, UI/UX, and visual storytelling is about creating a unified experience where each element works in harmony to serve both functional and narrative purposes. In my project Wizdrobe, I combined fashion, AI, and UI/UX design to craft an interactive wardrobe assistant that is not only visually appealing but also intuitive and engaging. I integrated visual storytelling by weaving in personalized styling recommendations and guiding users through their fashion journey, making the experience feel dynamic and tailored to their needs. The key was ensuring that the AI-driven interface wasn’t just functional but also emotionally resonant, allowing users to feel a connection with the product. By focusing on both usability and a compelling narrative, I created an experience that went beyond just functionality, aiming to evoke excitement and a sense of personal style discovery in every interaction.
Wizdrobe App
Wizdrobe Chatbot
Wizdrobe Web
CP: What role does experimentation play in your creative process? Have there been any unexpected discoveries that shaped your work?
YW: Experimentation is at the core of my creative process. It’s how I push the boundaries of my art and discover new ways to communicate complex ideas. I constantly test new concepts, tools, and mediums to see what resonates most with the narrative I’m trying to convey. One of the most significant discoveries I’ve made was through my Absurdity and Contradictions of Life series, where I experimented with surreal visual metaphors. Initially, I was uncertain about how abstract and conceptual these elements would be received, but the feedback revealed that these juxtapositions not only worked visually but also sparked emotional responses and intellectual curiosity in the viewer. This experiment reinforced my belief that the unexpected — both in terms of visuals and ideas — can have a profound impact on how we perceive the world.
CP: Your surreal visual metaphors are striking. Are there any particular artists, writers, or thinkers who inspire your conceptual approach?
YW: I draw inspiration from a wide range of surrealist artists, writers, and thinkers who have explored the complexities of human existence. Salvador Dalí and René Magritte have been pivotal in shaping my approach to visual storytelling, particularly in how they use surrealism to challenge the viewer’s perception of reality. Writers like Albert Camus, who delve into existentialism and the absurdity of life, have also influenced my conceptual approach. I am intrigued by the idea of creating art that doesn’t just provide answers but prompts deeper questions—about life, technology, and our place in the world. More recently, I’ve found inspiration in the work of contemporary artists and philosophers exploring themes of identity and the intersection of technology and humanity.
CP: What was the most surprising user reaction you encountered while testing the VR Boots Experience, VEKTOR?
YW: The most surprising user reaction during the Vektor project was how users, initially apprehensive about the VR boots' heaviness and motion, became fully immersed in the experience once the narrative and visual elements were introduced. The immersive astronaut story and guiding footprints not only helped ease their discomfort but also drew them into the narrative. What started as a challenge with user comfort turned into a breakthrough in user engagement. This experience reinforced for me the power of storytelling in design—how it can completely transform the user experience and perception of a product.
CP: What is a fun fact about you?
YW: A fun fact about me is that I am also a children’s book illustrator! I had the pleasure of illustrating the ‘Small Holes, Big World’ series, where I merged my love for storytelling with my visual design expertise to create engaging content for young audiences. The challenge of combining fun, simplicity, and creativity in children's literature is an entirely different but equally fulfilling aspect of my creative practice.
CP: What else fills your time when you’re not creating art?
YW: When I’m not immersed in my art, I love exploring new technologies, particularly in AI, VR, and gaming. I’m always curious about how these emerging fields can intersect with traditional design and create more immersive, interactive experiences. On a more personal note, I enjoy traveling to new places, which often provides me with fresh perspectives and creative inspiration. I also enjoy sports as an active way to stay balanced, particularly through yoga and Pilates, which help me maintain both my mental and physical well-being.
CP: What is a dream project you’d like to make one day?
YW: My dream project would be an interactive, AI-driven art installation that seamlessly integrates VR, motion design, and storytelling. I envision a dynamic, responsive environment where participants’ choices shape the experience, blurring the lines between viewer and creator. By combining immersive visuals, narrative depth, and real-time interaction, this project would explore the evolving relationship between technology and human perception.
More than just a digital experience, it would serve as a space for reflection—challenging participants to engage with themes of identity, agency, and connection in ways that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. This project would push the boundaries of traditional art, using emerging technologies to craft an experience that is thought-provoking, emotionally engaging, and continuously evolving with each interaction.
