Druckfrisch

MARKK Hamburg holds one of the largest collections of vernacular prints and everyday objects from Republican China (1920s–1930s), a period of rapid modernization. YUUE design studio worked with the curatorial team to surface the collection’s hidden value and create an immersive viewing experience through a holistic design that spans spatial interventions, structural elements within the listed architecture, and graphic design for the catalogue and campaign.

A key approach was to let the prints speak for themselves. Figures extracted from the vernacular imagery were scaled up and printed directly onto the walls using the museum’s Wallpen, turning the exhibition into a walkable print and intuitively guiding visitors along the optimal route.

Meticulously researched and image‑rich, the catalogue stands as a collectible record of the exhibition. YUUE restored numerous digitized prints, including the main campaign image, which was retouched and repurposed as the key motif across the exhibition and the catalogue. A French‑fold cover with a circular cutout reveals the motif, echoing a historical print format referenced throughout the catalogue.

Exhibtion: Druckfrisch aus den Zwanzigern / Hot off the Press / 摩登印象
Client: MARKK, Hamburg
Designer: Weng Xinyu
Intern: Wiktoria Rydellek
Year: 2025
Official photos (last 4): Paul Schwimweg