Yunong Xie is a London-based illustrator and toy designer originally from China who has a fascination with
“mysterious creatures and subjects”, which also served as a catalyst for the launch of her own toy brand
MINONO in 2019. Her practice ranges from illustration and animation to poster, packaging and book design,
and fashion prints – it’s eclectic as a body of work, but coherent in style. Her work often appears cute, but
there’s always an underlying sense of darkness in its surreal mix of motifs, especially when she’s working in primarily
monochrome shades.
Yunong enjoys combining handmade crafts with digital tools, and says she’s “always keen to explore new ways to
integrate traditional illustration techniques and new media forms.” As well as mythical beasts, she finds herself drawn to
themes around occultism. “In the early days, I tended to use my paintings to describe social phenomena a lot,” she says.
“I always believe that the creation of modern art should not be too divorced from the society we live in.”
So far, 2020 has seen Yunong take on more fashion print design. “Before that, I’ve always focused more on the
illustration and brand design side. It’s a new challenge, but also extremely exciting,” she says.
behance.net/yunongxie_Yunong Xie
STRIKING, SURREAL ARTWORKS WITH A TINGE OF DARKNESS