Offbeat Angles_

Whenever I was out and about in Beijing, I liked to pay attention to what was around me; looking for little things that breathed life into the metropolis. One pattern I tended to find most were tags, especially those I found in the Gulou and Andingmen areas of the city.

Graffiti can be found anywhere in big cities, and Beijing is no exception. Some of the most memorable tags here, though, tend to be the more minimalist ones. These are characters in their own right instead of just plain tags. Spotting them is akin to spotting a modern day equivalent to Kilroy out in the wild.

Of all the taggers I’ve come across in Beijing, Tudou and Jin Wah are two of my favorites to look for. Their characters could be found in almost any nook and cranny around the city.

Tudou 土豆

Once you’ve seen a Tudou work, you’ll spot him everywhere. His characters usually look like they’re sprouting from the ground, not unlike potatoes, and boast a wide cheeky grin with closed eyes.

Tudou’s career kicked off in 2016, with the artist taking inspiration from skateboard culture, time spent out with friends, drinking in bars, and any adventures he’d find himself on in and around Beijing. “My tag is basically my style,” Tudou explains. “My friends can spot all my work, and my graffiti can be found in all kinds of public places.”

When I last interviewed Tudou in 2022, his goal for the year was simple: “the more things I’m able to do and churn out, the more memories I’ll be able to make.” He’s done all that and more, hosting an exhibition of his work in 798 Arts District that year and letting his tag evolve and, subsequently, be easy to spot anywhere.

Jin Wah 金娃

Jin Wah, both the name of this artist and the character she’s created, got into graffiti somewhat by accident. Around 2013 or 2014, she was dancing in a club with her friends and doodled a bit on one of the club walls. That doodle, and the subsequent demand from the club owner to remove it, sparked Jin Wah’s journey into graffiti.

Her tag took inspiration from an avatar she found while browsing Chrome. After adding hair and a wide smile, the character of Jin Wah was born. “The biggest characteristic of my tag is that when you see it, you’ll find that every smiling face is different” she explains. “I put it everywhere, and when people take photos of it, I can easily guess where they found it. It’s like a fun game.”

Unlike most street artists, Jin Wah has turned her tag into a brand of its own, taking commissions and venturing into other projects, such as WeChat stickers, zine comics, and even t-shirts, all of which are documented on her Instagram (@jinwah_766).

Now that you’ve learned about two minimalist artists on the Beijing scene, its time to go out and spot them. The work of Tudou and Jin Wah might be small, but its graffiti like theirs that breathe a bit of life and fun into big cities like China’s capital.

Images: Offbeat Angles, courtesy of the artists