Exhibitionist: Pedderzine Uncatalogued, an exhibition that celebrates Hong Kong retailer On Pedder's seasonal magazine, Pedderzine, opens today in Central.
Launched in 2007, Pedderzine is half catalogue, half design and art showcase. Under the creative direction of Singapore-based graphic designer Theseus Chan, each issue sets shoe and handbag styles in the work of Chan and other designers and artists.
From the beginning, Chan says, the concept behind the magazine was to step away from stereotypical formats and styles associated with luxury magazines or catalogues.
"I have always been inspired to create a surprise in printed matter and challenge myself to constantly evolve my work," he says. " Pedderzine allows me to do that. I don't think it comes out looking very contrived or predictable."
Each issue is conceived and designed independently of past issues and the products it showcases. Chan has almost complete creative freedom to take any direction he likes.
For the autumn-winter 2008 issue, for example, Chan was inspired by the patina of an old musical instrument and says he wanted the magazine to have the look and feel of something distressed and aged. In another issue, Chan mixed fashion with biology in what he describes as a National Geographic parody, in which bags and shoes come alive with mutant-like appendages.
Such visual twists are a trademark of the designer, who continually explores themes of juxtaposition and subversion in his work - a style that has won him critical acclaim and numerous awards, including Designer of the Year at the 2006 Singapore President's Design Award, and several D&AD Yellow Pencils, Laus and HKDA awards. Chan was also named one of the world's top 100 designers in Phaidon's Area 2 graphic design guide in 2008.