Karine Monié
Sean Zhang has found a way to express his feelings and emotions through design since he was a teenager. After studying in Italy and the United States, then working in Japan, France and Germany, Zhang settled in New York, where he founded his studio Ocrùm.
“All these experiences give me a unique perspective and allow me to distill and combine elements of different cultures into my work,” he says.
A good example is the Orizon mirror, which blends Chinese concepts with Italian craftsmanship. It’s a piece that, as he puts it, “reflects the water surface fluctuations (dong, which means movement in Chinese) and the sunlight exposure (jing, which means stillness) within a functional object. This idea is brought to life through Italian crafting expertise and materials such as ceramic and marble.”
Profoundly inspired by Asian culture, the young designer pays close attention to detail and gives importance to every variation of shape, color, and material. Working with marble, glass, wood, and ceramic, Zhang mixes subtle warm and cold hues—for visual balance—with slightly low saturation like ocean blue and wine red.
Having a strong sense and appreciation for nostalgia, Zhang evokes memories through his creations. He is currently working on a new collection inspired by the chaotic world of last year, which will launch this spring.
Ocrùm
Photos: Sean Zhang, portrait by Yue Jiang
Jenn Thornton
DIGS
Wendy Bowman
Constance Dunn