As a premier design event at the forefront of European innovation, the 26th Dutch Design Week (2026) takes place from 17 to 25 October, drawing an estimated 350,000 visitors and industry professionals from around the globe.
DESIGN
On this stage where global design trends converge, artists and designers Yanwen Hang, Yuzheng Gan, and Yuwei Liu unveil their compelling project, After Paper,at Foundation We Are exhibition space (Torenallee 22-04, Eindhoven). Centered on the concept of “design as a tool,” the exhibition deeply explores the medium of paper, viewing it not merely as a vehicle for tactile experience, but as a metaphor for the digital age. Transcending the boundaries between traditional craftsmanship and Cyberdadaism, their work sparks a raw, unpredictable, and deconstructive dialogue between humanity and the medium, profoundly echoing this year’s DDW theme: “R.A.W.” (Rebel Authentic Worth).
WITHIN WHITE explores what white paper can become beyond its simplicity. Circular paper modules surround a transparent, iridescent acrylic box, partially concealing the space within. As light passes through the acrylic, subtle colors reflect onto the white paper discs, creating delicate shifts in color and light. The shadows cast by the structure also make the rectangular form appear more solid and defined, changing how we perceive its shape and volume. As light and shadow shift, the seemingly simple white surface reveals unexpected depth, color, and layers. The contrast between the soft, matte paper and the reflective acrylic creates a dialogue between concealment and openness, simplicity and complexity. Through these everyday materials, the work invites viewers to look more closely and discover how light can transform a space and the way we experience it.
Yuzheng Gan is an interior designer interested in how space can respond to changing needs and new ways of living. Her work considers the relationship between people, space, and society, with a focus on the possibilities of the future.
Fragile Jungle is a hand-cut paper artwork portraying endangered animals, a tiger, an orangutan, a macaw, and more, each carefully carved from a single sheet of paper. Paper is a fitting material for this subject: it is thin, delicate, and made from trees, much like the fragile lives of these animals, whose forests are disappearing. Every cut made in the paper is permanent and cannot be undone, just as protecting these species cannot wait any longer. The white paper left uncut represents hope: a future these animals can still have, if we choose to protect it.
Yuwei（Momo）Liu is an Atlanta-based awarding-winning illustrator and animator from China whose work captures the whimsy of everyday life. She specializes in creating warm, expressive illustrations and animations for brands, advertising, and publishing. With experience across both in-house and agency environments, Yuwei helps brands build distinctive visual identities through whimsical visuals inspired by everyday life and objects.
Cyberdada is an experimental visual art project that challenges conventional relationships between humans and technology. Inspired by Dadaism, it embraces absurdity, imperfection, and unexpected outcomes as catalysts for creative exploration.
Through experimental typography, digital compositions, and three-dimensional forms, Cyberdada transforms technological glitches and unconventional digital processes into expressive visual narratives. Rather than treating technology as a tool for perfection, the project explores its unpredictable nature, questioning boundaries between physical and digital worlds.
Presented as part of After Paper at Dutch Design Week 2026, Cyberdada invites audiences to reconsider how technology can be reimagined and experienced beyond its intended functions.
Yanwen Hang is a multidisciplinary visual artist and award-winning graphic designer working at the intersection of art, technology, and visual storytelling. Her practice spans experimental typography, brand identity, and immersive experiences.
Previously a designer at IBM, she contributed to international technology events, including HashiConf and AWS re:Invent. Her work has received recognition from the Type Directors Club (TDC) and MUSE Creative Awards. She has also served as a juror for international design initiatives, including NYCxDesign’s Design Nexus and Curatone, evaluating creative work from emerging and established designers.
Through her practice, Hang explores new forms of visual expression and human connection.
Moon Shadow, a piece from the After Paper project—it is handcrafted directly from paper pulp, creating seamless, frameless forms without an internal skeleton. Rather than pasting sheets of paper together, the process creates a distinctive lamp surface that highlights the natural characteristics of paper. When lit, the lamps cast complex and beautiful shadows. Instead of arranging the shadow gradations geometrically, the design keeps them as natural as possible to reflect the actual moon, while experimenting with form and layout to create a richly heterogeneous surface with a particular texture.
Through the artistic expression and design of paper in its diverse forms, the exhibition invites the public to re-examine the symbiotic relationship between paper and society from a fresh perspective. Here, paper ceases to be merely a tool for recording; instead, it becomes a powerful catalyst, vividly showcasing cultural heritage, artisanal craftsmanship, and designers’ profound vision for the future landscape of our world.
