Young creators reclaim human connection

A new generation of Chinese artists explores overlooked histories, grassroots creativity and personal experiences in an increasingly digital world, Yang Yang reports.

During architect Lu Wenhui's 2026 visit to Quanzhou, Fujian province, she noticed a security booth at a tourist bus stop near the Quanzhou Workers' Cultural Palace. At first, it seemed unremarkable. But a closer look revealed something special.

She, in her 30s, learned from security guard Ah Cheng that he crafted the booth himself. Initially, it was a basic security post, but after city management officials raised concerns about its appearance, he invested 500 yuan ($75) in materials to upgrade it. He also used creativity: a parasol to keep water from leaking through the roof.

The security guard had previously asked his superiors for a booth to protect him from extreme weather conditions — hot summers, cold winters and frequent rain — but his request was denied because the labor contract didn't cover these expenses. As a result, he took matters into his own hands. He also built a similar booth for his colleagues.

In Chengdu, Sichuan province, Lu came across a handmade bamboo baby basket woven by a grandmother. The woman brought her ancestral craft from Changshou district in Chongqing and transformed it into her grandchild's personal ride. The basket was a bit deep, so when the child stood, his head didn't show. The grandmother found a wooden stick, carved a notch on each end, and fit it perfectly across the middle of the basket, creating a simple bench. With his seat elevated, the boy holds onto the basket's edges and peers out at the street scenes with wide-eyed curiosity.

In the work she submitted for the 5th Sailors Program titled Collection of Southern Grassroots Design, Lu uses an archival visual language to record and represent these "wild design" samples of daily creations she collected from the nooks and crannies of eight cities in southern China, inviting "a renewed examination of the improvisational wisdom that persists at the margins of survival".

These makeshift structures, assembled from inexpensive materials, create a rough yet lively tapestry of life in urbanization. However, Lu explains in the work's introduction that, under the dual pressures of standardized plans and rapid city growth, these structures are quickly vanishing because they sit outside design history's mainstream narrative.

Lu's work is on display at MACA Art Center in Beijing's 798 Art District, alongside 10 other projects from the 5th Sailors Program, the program's 5th edition since its 2018 launch, funded by the One-Way Street Foundation.

With the One-Way Street Foundation's financial support, the program encourages young creators to travel and make something personal based on their experiences.

For this year's program, the foundation received a record 610 applications. The creators use diverse media such as film, installations, writing, performance, and field research to chart their own courses. Eleven plans finally won financial support ranging from 30,000 yuan to 50,000 yuan each.

In rounds of readings and discussions, the judges focus not only on the maturity of the works but also on the clarity and determination shown in the face of real-world challenges.