Creative communities worldwide hold Japanese graphic designs in high regard, and the ongoing exhibition at the Fosun Foundation Shanghai features works by some of the country’s best-known designers.
The exhibition, Yitisiga: Graphic Design in Japan, opened on July 26 and runs to Aug 23. It is jointly presented by the Fosun Foundation and the Japan Graphic Designers Association, one of the most influential organisations for graphic designers in Asia.
The exhibition is one of the largest and most comprehensive displays of Japanese graphic design in China to date, featuring over 300 original works by more than 100 legendary figures across 1,200 square meters, arranged in five sections.
“Yitisiga” is a colloquial phrase in the dialects of the Yangtze River Delta region used to describe a large variety of things, extensiveness, and sometimes chaotic states. The title signifies the inclusiveness, diverse visual elements, and rich styles of graphic design, according to Gong Qijun, co-curator of the exhibition.
The Japanese association was founded in 1978 and has more than 6,000 members today, the majority of whom work in Japan.
The JAGDA Award is the highest accolade in Japanese design, representing the shifting winds of visual Japanese creativity each year, Gong says.
The first section of the exhibition showcases award-winning works by 10 leading designers, including Kenya Hara, Issay Kitagawa, and Ryosuke Uehara. The second section features the original works included in the yearbook Graphic Design in Japan, which is compiled by the association and spans posters, packaging, digital media, signage, and spatial presentation.
Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2025