The Prelude Exhibition of The First Shanghai Graphic Design Biennale – TopoPoster: International Poster Design Exhibition, after six months (June – December, 2025) of planning and preparation, was successfully held from December 13 to December 22, 2025. As one of the larger-scale exhibitions in recent years featuring an international selection of works in China, it showcased over 300 representative poster designs from 153 influential contemporary designers and studios active in the forefront of the field across 28 countries.

Paradiesvogel

n German, the expression «Bunter Vogel» (Colorful bird) refers to someone with a free spirit—a distinct, unconventional presence. This expression was my starting point. I imagined a figure that would embody pride in its difference, and a sense of joy in multiplicity.

Gradually, a hybrid being appeared: part human, part bird—something between a crow and a mythological creature. I chose the crow deliberately: a bird often misunderstood, yet here reimagined as a dignified, luminous figure. Its wings, mouth, and boots carry the colors of Pride flags. The sentence on the figure’s chest, «La diversité fait pousser des ailes» (Diversity gives us wings), reflects the work’s central intention: to remind us that accepting and embracing difference can open space for transformation, autonomy, and connection. This «Paradiesvogel» is meant to be seen in public space—as an imaginary citizen who invites others to take up space, to be visible, and to move through the world with openness and pride.

Toan Vu-Huu

studiovuhuu.com

@toan_vu_huu @studiovuhuu