Meet the Judge: Huang Songhao
Emotion as the Core of Interaction
We’re excited to introduce one of our judges for the Seeed Interactive Signage Contest: Huang Songhao, an artist and curator currently leading Raiden INST, a Shanghai-based non-profit organization dedicated to the intersection of Art and Technology.
Songhao’s practice sits at the crossroads of creative expression and curatorial innovation. While he wears many hats—creator, curator, cultural initiator—his approach to this contest is rooted in one central idea: emotion matters more than form.
“Truly memorable signage doesn’t just convey information; it triggers empathy, provokes thought, elicits a knowing smile or other emotional fluctuations in the audience.”
For Songhao, emotional resonance is what separates good interactive signage from great. He looks for works that create a pause, a moment where the audience feels something, whether it’s wonder, curiosity, humor, or reflection. In his words, “a sudden intellectual or emotional pause” is often more compelling than polished aesthetics or abstract creativity.
From Villages to Virtual Layers
Songhao’s perspective comes not only from theory but from field practice. One of his standout projects was a digital AR exhibition set in a rural village in Quzhou, Zhejiang. Working far from the confines of a traditional gallery space, he found that curation today must go beyond artistic intuition—it must borrow from the world of tech product design.
“As curators, especially in public and hybrid spaces, we have to think like product managers.”
From QR code placements to interface interactions, every step in the visitor experience requires careful orchestration. Songhao reminds us that compelling storytelling in interactive signage is not just about artistic ambition—it’s about reverse-engineering the audience’s journey and designing moments of discovery with intention.
Hackers, Painters, and Place
Influenced by Paul Graham’s “Hackers & Painters”, Songhao believes in the shared instincts between developers and artists. He’s especially eager to see submissions that engage with local context—those that leave behind a distinct footprint in their specific space.
“I’m particularly drawn to works that cleverly engage with their surroundings. That’s what gives signage its irreplaceable meaning.”
As a judge, Songhao will be looking for projects that don’t just speak to the audience—but speak with them. Emotion, context, and a thoughtful interaction logic will be key elements in his evaluation.
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