The Lladró Boutique in Shanghai, China was the venue for a special event attended by influencers and VIPs to celebrate the launch of two new versions of The Guest by the pioneering Chinese artist Kzeng Jiang. Ever since it was originally conceived by the renowned designer Jaime Hayon ten years ago, The Guest has become Lladró’s most captivating character. Demonstrating the infinite possibilities of handcrafted porcelain when combined with the best contemporary design, it has served as a blank canvas for many celebrated international artists.

Artists and designers who have previously applied their unique creative visions to this irreverent yet distinguished sculpture include Supakitch, Henn Kim, Ricardo Cavolo, Paul Smith, Gary Baseman, Devilrobots, Tim Biskup and Rolito. This marks the first time that a Chinese artist has joined the creative universe of this iconic character, and the Shanghai-based designer’s work reflects contemporary Asian culture in vibrant, radical illustrations.

Both versions of Kzeng Jiang’s The Guest pay tribute to his cultural roots through symbols of Chinese traditions such as facial painting and flower painting from the Song dynasty, as rendered in his own distinctive style. The face on the larger of the two has three eyes which, according to the artist, allow him to see the past, present, and future as if he were a messenger travelling through time.