Lam Hung’s Peace of Mind poster for a Zen Buddhist centre, Hong Kong, 2001

The V&A’s current flagship exhibition has a very clear, chronological layout, which is a little surprising considering its slightly clumsy title. The show itself begins in Shenzhen – the site of the first McDonald’s in China – and, perhaps more significantly, the birthplace of contemporary Chinese graphic design. Throughout the exhibition, China’s lust for iconic style and mischievous trends is depicted via a dazzling array of poster designs, illustrations, animations and quirky films: many of which frequently reference, on the one hand, the Buddhist way of life and, distinctly on the other, the visual potency of Maoist China.

Anthony Burrill’s Work Hard And Be Nice To People poster was a feature on the walls of CR Towers for a long time, providing valuable words to live by for all who labour here. An unfortunate Blu-Tac-related accident put paid to our copy so we were pleased to hear that its no-nonsense message will be reappearing on the cover of next month’s Wallpaper*

Spread from Spanish designer Jaime Hayon’s new book, Work, showing the finished version of the
Camper-Hayon shoe

Spanish designer, Jaime Hayon has a head of hair as vivacious and shiny as his work. His new book, Work, offers a full-bodied insight into his elaborately quirky, yet impeccably realised designs. From opulent table lamps mimicking a skyward explosion of bubbles, to a pair of overtly chic monochromatic shoes (designed for Camper), Hayon and timid are two words that dispel each other like incompatible magnets…

Drawings And Other Objects opens at London’s Kemistry Gallery later this week and is designer and illustrator James Joyce’s first solo gallery exhibition…

A few weeks ago, designer Matthew Dent’s latest project was unveiled. He’d won a competition where the winning entrant would get to see their design made up and eventually used by millions of people. Not bad going. But then Dent is lucky (and skilful) enough to have created the look of the UK’s new coinage, which is set to be put in circulation by the Royal Mint later in the year. The reverse of each coin will feature a section from the Royal Arms shield, which is then replicated in its entirety on the reverse of the £1 coin. The 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins can then be laid out to recreate the shield itself. Dent, 26, currently works at London studio Three Fish in a Tree having studied graphic design at the University of Brighton, and he talked to us about the design that lies behind this rather impressive project.

“The police post themselves at the School of Fine Arts – the Fine Arts’ students poster
the streets.” An anonymous poster from the Paris student uprisings of May 1968

40 years ago next month, the streets of the French capital saw workers and students protesting against the increasing levels of unemployment and poverty that were all too apparent under Charles de Gaulle’s conservative government. As a reminder of the power of self-initiated protest, May 68: Street Posters from the Paris Rebellion, launches this Thursday at the Hayward Project Space in London and brings together a range of handmade posters that were used to convey the protestors’ grievances during the uprisings. Before the show opens, we talked to the exhibition’s organiser and curator, Johan Kugelberg, about how this vibrant and uncompromising graphic art came about and what it means today…