02/10/2026
We designed the visual identity and exhibition for Held in the Middle, Christian Tan’s first solo exhibition at Objectifs . Jointly organised by UOL Group Limited and ART:DIS , the exhibition, curated by John Savage , follows his John SavageUOL X ART:DIS Art Prize 2025. The design brings his distinctive visual language into the space through bold colour, centred compositions and linocut textures.
Christian’s prints bring close attention to the objects and figures of everyday life. Cleaning tools, chairs and pop stars become subjects through which he explores work, rest and joy. Often placed at the centre of his compositions, these familiar subjects are given a presence that reflects their significance within his world.
The design takes this compositional instinct as its starting point. Artworks sit within expansive fields of colour, bringing their intimate details into sharper focus. The surrounding colour extends the emotional space of each image beyond its frame, translating Christian’s way of holding a subject into a spatial experience for visitors.
The identity follows the same principle. A centred title lockup incorporates a familiar tool from Christian’s visual world. On the title wall, it sits against a sea of yellow, its presence amplified by the surrounding colour. The composition echoes the directness and clarity of his prints.
Linocut textures bring the tactile character of Christian’s medium into the graphics. The identity accommodates different combinations of Christian’s recurring objects. Larger applications, including outdoor banners, can bring several forms into the key visual, allowing the composition to expand while retaining the title as its central anchor.
📸: Victor Gui Victor Gui
