Design Visionaries Unveil “Momentum” Exhibition At NYC’s Flowing Space
This post was created by Flowing Space
Industry leaders and art enthusiasts gathered in Manhattan for the opening of “Momentum,” a duo exhibition exploring the intricate relationship between personal growth and community influence. Held February 15-16 at the prestigious Flowing Space Gallery on Clinton Street, the exhibition exclusively showcased the collaborative work of established product and UX design pioneers Yanling Zhang and Qianru Zhang. As the sole exhibitors, their complementary approaches to community building have positioned this powerful duo at the forefront of design innovation.
Qianru Zhang, a Silver MUSE Creative Award winner (2024), has revolutionized financial technology at KoraMoney as lead UX Designer. Her award-winning KoraCoach platform combines behavioral psychology with gamification to improve financial literacy among young adults. The platform has attracted over 10,000 new users and significantly improved financial literacy among college students.
Yanling Zhang leads product design at Hanwha Vision America for their next-generation security video management platform. Her ability to simplify complex systems has earned recognition across industries. Her healthcare data dashboard for Biomotivate earned the MUSE Gold Award for simplifying clinical data analysis in addiction treatment.
The exhibition featured two projects exploring how communities shape individual development. Growv, a socialized goal-setting platform, demonstrates how digital communities provide crucial support for personal development. The system incorporates SMART goal methodologies with social accountability, allowing users to collaborate on goals and track shared progress. SkateUp explores skateboarding communities in China, showing how they foster skill development and belonging through organic interactions. The project includes a digital platform displaying real-time skater locations and proposals for transforming urban spaces into skate-friendly environments.
“Both projects explore the idea of ‘moving forward’—whether through the physical momentum of a skateboard or the psychological momentum generated by supportive peer networks,” explained the designers.
The opening reception transformed the gallery into a demonstration of community connection. Visitors participated in creating a collaborative installation by connecting inspiring phrases with red strings throughout the space. “By having us literally create connections between ideas using these red threads, the designers made us embody the very concept they were exploring—how individual actions contribute to a larger communal tapestry,” noted one attendee.
Located at 16 Clinton Street, Flowing Space has established itself as one of New York’s most distinctive cultural venues, combining Eastern tea ceremony practices with contemporary art exhibitions. Founded by designers and artists seeking more contemplative engagement with creative work, the gallery’s minimalist aesthetic provided an ideal setting for an exhibition demanding deeper reflection.
“Momentum” signals emerging trends in user experience design, particularly in how communities can be constructed to support individual growth. The exhibition outlined future plans for both projects, including integrations with wearable technology, AI-based personalization, and community challenges for broader engagement.
“‘Momentum’ makes us aware of the forces that push us forward,” stated the exhibition text. “Whether through structured goal setting or the free rhythm of skateboarding culture, we are reminded that personal progress is never truly an individual behavior—it is always shaped by the momentum of the people around us.”
The exhibition’s successful reception establishes Yanling Zhang and Qianru Zhang among the most innovative voices in contemporary design, demonstrating how thoughtful user experience can transform human experiences of community and personal development.
This content was produced independently from the Worldcrunch editorial team.