Creativity begins in Wonder

To wonder means to be curious about what lies out of our ordinary. We can all feel 'strange' at some points in our life. But being out of place, away from one's comfort zone, or in a place we have never been before can allow us to see things differently to those who regularly inhabit those same spaces. Relocating to China has taught me that it is truly a design opportunity to be estranged from the familiar. Socrates famously wrote that 'Wisdom begins in Wonder' so today I want to talk about how creativity and innovation can also begin there too.

Fresh eyes

To 'see with fresh eyes' is to see familiar things as if you have never seen them before, i.e. with the same sense of curiosity, newness and discovery that you presumably experienced the first time you experienced them. This is a totally unique, unbiased perspective which is why it is often recommended to 'get another pair of fresh eyes' on a piece of design content before it is finalised. The creator has their blind spots and these can easily conceal the underlying interesting aspects that may disguise themselves in normal 'routine' clothing. In short, the more we know, the less can inevitably surprise us and lead us to that ultimate point of wonder.

The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn."

– Gloria Steinem

Wonders of China

Being a 5 ft 11 black girl in South China has naturally made me a walking, talking point of wonder for many of the locals of Zhuhai (珠海). Wherever I go, people will stare, point and take pictures of me simply because I appear to be out of their ordinary. From strange looks to hushed conversations, the expressions of shock on people's faces from seeing a foreigner for the first time can only be surpassed by the even greater looks of disbelief when they realise that she not only speaks Mandarin, but understands it too.

Whilst exploring the picturesque village of Yangshuo (阳朔) with friends, I managed to understand a group of locals shouting 'Look over there!', ''Her skin is so dark', 'Where did she come from?'. As we formed friendships founded in curiosity, I learnt that many of them have spent their entire lives in Guangdong province. Whilst some may argue that little exposure breeds ignorance, these people have the fresh eyes! I believe that Design should always be about 'the interesting' and fortunate are those who have the power to see the simplest of things as interesting.

Conclusion

To conclude, whilst the funny looks, pointing and endless photo requests have indeed confirmed that I am estranged here in China, I am actively embracing this social awkwardness because it actually puts me in the best position to see my surroundings from a completely new and hopefully innovative point of view. I am blown away daily by what many locals consider to be everyday occurrences which I hope to share in future blog posts. My two months living in China thus far have taught me to embrace being on foreign territory because it gives us these fresh eyes for free!

"If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got"

– Albert Einstein

Thank you for reading,

Simbiat x

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From June to September 2019, I am working as a Product Designer in China, whilst also continuing to perfect my Mandarin proficiency at the Chinese Royal Language School. Any free time I have left, I have dedicated to writing this blog so thank you so much for taking the time to read it! I continue to learn more everyday and would strongly welcome any feedback. Please feel free to leave a comment below or reach out via the contact form.

Warmest regards,

Simbi