Interview with Khalinur Marupova

Khalinur Marupova ("KM") interviewed on Tuesday, 12 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

KM : I am a multidisciplinary designer and creative director originally from Kazakhstan, currently studying in Los Angeles as an international student. My work focuses on branding, visual identity systems, motion, and conceptual storytelling that connect culture, memory and contemporary visual language. I was born and raised in a small village in Kazakhstan, and I believe this became the foundation of my creative identity. Growing up close to nature, traditions and everyday cultural life gave me a strong emotional connection to symbolism, rhythm, texture and human experience. Even before understanding design professionally, I was already absorbing visual codes through landscapes, patterns, people and collective memory. Later, moving to the city and studying design gave me the tools to translate those emotions into a contemporary visual language. Design became a way for me to preserve identity while communicating globally. Through branding, typography, motion and storytelling, I try to transform cultural feeling into visual systems that people can emotionally connect with. Currently, I am also studying video editing, motion and film, which continues expanding the way I think about atmosphere, rhythm and narrative inside design. I believe modern design should not only communicate information, but also create emotional meaning and awareness. One of the most important projects in my journey is RUH, an award-winning identity inspired by the mountains and cultural heritage of Kazakhstan. The project reflects my belief that human strength begins from the land, memory and culture we come from.

How did you become a designer?

KM : I became a designer through observation, emotion and cultural memory. Growing up in a village in Kazakhstan, I was surrounded by landscapes, traditions, textures and visual details that carried emotional meaning. At that time, I did not understand design professionally, but I was already observing atmosphere, rhythm and visual language in everyday life. When I later moved to the city and began studying design, I realized that design could become a universal language. It allowed me to express ideas and emotions that words sometimes cannot explain. I started exploring branding, typography and visual systems, and gradually developed my own perspective on design. Moving to the United States as a student expanded my creative perspective even more. Being between cultures helped me understand how identity, heritage and storytelling can exist inside contemporary design. Today, I create projects that combine emotional depth, cultural memory and modern visual communication.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

KM : My priority is creating meaningful visual systems that have emotional, cultural and strategic value at the same time. I believe good design should not only look visually strong, but also communicate an idea and leave a lasting emotional feeling. When starting a project, I focus on concept, atmosphere and structure. Before creating visuals, I spend time understanding the emotional tone, story and cultural context behind a project. I try to build systems that feel alive rather than decorative. My style combines minimalism, symbolism and visual storytelling. I often use typography, rhythm, patterns and movement inspired by nature, cinema, architecture and cultural memory. Although I work digitally, my process usually begins with observation, research, sketching and conceptual thinking rather than software alone.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

KM : Designing is a deeply emotional experience for me. The beginning of a project feels like entering a new world where abstract emotions slowly transform into visual language. I feel excitement during the conceptual stage because this is where meaning is created. At the same time, design also requires patience and emotional honesty. I often spend a long time searching for the right atmosphere because I want the final result to feel real and intentional. The most rewarding moment is when visuals, typography, rhythm and concept suddenly connect into one complete feeling. That moment reminds me why I chose design as my language.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

KM : My background shaped the way I see design emotionally and culturally. Growing up in a village in Kazakhstan gave me a close connection to nature, traditions, silence, textures and collective memory. Those experiences became part of my visual thinking long before I understood design professionally. Later, moving to the city and studying design gave me the tools to translate those memories into contemporary visual systems. I realized that my cultural experience was not something to leave behind, but something that could become the foundation of my work. Another important part of my journey was moving to the United States as an international student. Experiencing different cultures helped me better understand identity, communication and the emotional power of design. Today, I see design not only as aesthetics, but as a bridge between memory, culture and human experience.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

KM : My goal is to continue developing a creative practice focused on cultural storytelling, identity systems and emotionally driven visual communication. I want to create projects that combine branding, motion, film and immersive storytelling into complete visual experiences. Currently, studying motion, video editing and film is expanding the way I think about rhythm, narrative and atmosphere inside design. In the future, I hope to create projects that speak to people globally while still remaining deeply connected to cultural identity and human emotion. One of my dreams is to create large-scale cultural projects that represent Central Asian identity through contemporary design language. I want to use design as a universal language that helps people feel meaning, connection and awareness through every visual detail.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

KM : I would advise young designers to focus less on trends and more on developing their own perspective and emotional language. Technical skills are important, but what truly makes a designer unique is their way of seeing the world. Do not be afraid of slow progress or difficult periods. Every experience, mistake and challenge becomes part of your creative identity. Sometimes your background, struggles and personal history become your strongest creative advantage. I also believe designers should stay curious beyond design itself. Cinema, music, architecture, culture, nature and human behavior can teach us just as much as design books or platforms.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

KM : I believe meaningful work comes from honesty and emotional depth. Designers should not create visuals only to follow trends or impress people visually. Good design should make people feel something and create connection. I think it is important to protect your individuality and cultural voice. The creative industry changes constantly, but authenticity always remains powerful. My advice is to think beyond isolated visuals and create complete systems, atmospheres and experiences that people can emotionally remember.

What is your day to day look like?

KM : My daily life is closely connected to observation, atmosphere and emotion. A lot of my creative process happens outside the computer screen. I often think about projects while listening to music, walking through museums, observing people or even while cooking. Cooking has become a personal ritual for me during the conceptual stage of a project. I enjoy preparing food while listening to music because it helps me slow down, think visually and emotionally, and imagine the atmosphere of a future design. During these moments, I often begin building ideas, rhythms and visual connections in my mind before they appear on the screen. Music also plays a very important role in my process because it helps me enter a certain emotional state while designing. I believe atmosphere strongly influences creativity. I also enjoy visiting museums, watching films and collecting visual inspiration from everyday life. For me, design is not separated from living — it becomes part of how I experience the world emotionally and visually.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

KM : I pay attention to trends, but I do not let them fully define my work. Trends can help designers understand the current visual language, but meaningful design should remain emotionally relevant beyond a single moment. I am more interested in timeless concepts with emotional and cultural depth rather than temporary visual aesthetics. Much of my inspiration comes from nature, cinema, architecture, movement, traditional symbolism and human emotion rather than only social media trends.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

KM : For me, good design creates clarity, emotion and meaning at the same time. A well-designed project feels intentional in every detail and communicates naturally without needing excessive explanation. I believe strong design should create both visual impact and emotional connection. The best projects are usually the ones where concept, atmosphere and execution feel completely connected together.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

KM : A design feels ready when every element supports the core idea and nothing unnecessary remains. I usually ask myself whether the project still communicates emotionally and clearly even in its simplest form. At the same time, I believe design is never completely finished because every project can continue evolving. The important thing is understanding the moment when the work already says what it needs to say.

What is your biggest design work?

KM : One of my most meaningful projects is RUH, a visual identity inspired by the mountains, land and cultural heritage of Kazakhstan. The project explores the relationship between human strength, memory, movement and identity. RUH became especially important to me because it connected my personal background with contemporary visual language. It was also my first internationally awarded project after receiving the Bronze A’ Design Award in the Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design category. The project taught me that culturally rooted design can communicate globally while still preserving emotional authenticity.

Who is your favourite designer?

KM : I admire designers, filmmakers and artists who create emotionally powerful and timeless experiences. I am especially inspired by creatives who combine minimalism, atmosphere, storytelling and strong visual systems. I also admire people from different creative disciplines because I believe the strongest ideas often exist between design, cinema, architecture, music and culture.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

KM : My culture plays a very important role in my creative identity. Being originally from Kazakhstan, I carry many visual memories from my homeland — landscapes, mountains, traditional textures, rhythms and everyday cultural life. These experiences continue influencing the emotional atmosphere of my work today. At the same time, studying in Los Angeles introduced me to a very different creative environment. Being between cultures allows me to combine cultural memory with contemporary global visual language. Outside design, I enjoy cinema, music, galleries, books and observing everyday human experiences that later become inspiration for my projects.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

KM : I believe collaboration works best when there is trust, openness and emotional understanding between people. I value honesty, curiosity and meaningful communication during the creative process. My philosophy is that design should not only solve problems visually, but also create emotional awareness and connection. I try to approach every project with respect for its story, atmosphere and human meaning. I also believe discipline and consistency are just as important as creativity itself.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

KM : I believe design has the power to preserve culture, identity and emotional connection between people. Through my work, I try to create projects that carry cultural meaning while making them understandable for contemporary audiences. In the future, I hope to support young creatives, especially people coming from smaller cities or underrepresented backgrounds, by sharing knowledge, inspiration and opportunities. I believe creativity should help people feel seen, valued and connected.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

KM : Participating in the A’ Design Award became an important turning point in my creative journey. Beyond recognition, it gave me confidence that culturally rooted design can resonate internationally. One of the most valuable aspects of the award was the opportunity to connect with the global design community and share ideas across cultures. It also encouraged me to think more deeply about the emotional and cultural impact of design. Receiving the Bronze A’ Design Award for RUH motivated me to continue creating projects that combine identity, storytelling and contemporary visual language while staying connected to my cultural roots.

Khalinur Marupova Profile