Graphic Designer, Stanley Wong
He was kicked out of his graphic design course, thinks having children in Hong Kong is too risky and considers himself a “social worker of visual communications.” Award-winning graphic designer Stanley Wong, better known as “anothermountainman,” talks about his 22 years as an advertising guru and why we should all respect the cleaning ladies.
I grew up in a public housing estate in Wong Tai Sin and have four siblings. We weren’t allowed to go out and play because there were so many gangsters around. We were allowed to play ping-pong in the corridor so my mom could hear where we were.
I was never taught how to draw—I just did it. In school I was always assigned to do the school posters. I liked to enter logo design competitions too.
If I hadn’t joined the graphic design and advertising field I might have become a teacher. I was trained to “teach” design not actually “do” it.
I refused to join the teaching profession because I couldn’t stand working with people who lacked passion—a lot of teachers I know just treat it as a job.
At the same time I was studying teaching, I was taking an evening graphic design course at the Polytechnic University. Only people who are already designers could enroll so I faked an identity and got in but they kicked me out a year later when they discovered the truth.
Getting thrown out of uni motivated me even more to become a graphic designer. I first started in a really small firm and now I’ve been doing visual communication for more than 22 years.
The design industry has stagnated over the last 10 years. In the 80s and early 90s we used to make landmark achievements. Now people lack missions. We just don’t look forward enough.