To meet cover artist Jack Xuandong Zhou is to rub elbows with an up-and-coming, celebrity-status, multifaceted professional. Zhou’s demeanor is as bright and shiny as his product; his humor and artwork juxtapose the balance between evil and good, dark and light.
Zhou expresses, “The most memorable part is to capture the landscape of Providence in the eyes of the students, especially from RISD and Brown University. Emphasizing the natural elements that we are privileged to study and live in. The harmonic balance between the river, the hill, and the people celebrating education and culture. It’s my favorite part of the cover.”
When asked which came first, the Motif bug in his ear or the inspiration, he explained that Motif did reach out to him to do this exquisite cover. As a 2022 Rhode Island School of Design graduate, Jack commends Motif for how it supports students and artwork. He adds that Providence has a “really unique community here that is irreplaceable.” Currently working at Black Math, a Boston design consultancy, Jack X. Zhou is portrayed on his website as “an evil, formidable, enigmatic yet super cute and silly internationally award-winning illustrator/designer/magician.”
He credits his parents for his success and explains that he illustrates because it is a softer way to approach tough topics. He says he “illustrates how to heal, fortify, and bring the broken world together.” Zhou grew up in Hangzhou, China, and moved to the U.S. at 13. He found U.S. history limiting. He was excited when he “finally” got some quality classes about international/Chinese history at RISD and Brown University. As quoted in Shout Out LA, “Being in the U.S. while having to deal with my cultural diaspora and a war of western and eastern influences in my head, but knowing and loving exactly what I want to do, was something significantly helpful to my survival and granted me the unforeseen confidence and comfort I never had.”
Already a recipient of an American Illustration Award, Zhou mentions, “The most challenging part for me is always channeling my art into serving others and defining myself as a functional gear in a large moving machine.” Jack has style. He has friends and supporters all over the world. He is also known for his looping animation “Animal Gaze Ecstasy” and his creation “Six Years of Mouth Watering.” Look for his work “Home Sweet Homo” in A Guide to Quintessentially Queer Living from The InQueery Vol.3 this month. Jack’s work in this is credited as an “illusgaytion.” Keep an eye out for the well-dressed Jack X. Zhou at Small Format, or possibly an escape room downtown. Otherwise, inevitably notice his quick climb to a prolific and profound future.
For more information about Zhou’s work please visit his website at jackxzhou.com and follow his social media at @jackx.zhou.
