Reinventing Lunar New Year: Custom Artwork Comes Alive Through Augmented Reality Art
TaiwanPlus, Alec Lu, and Benji’s of Brooklyn Bring Tradition to Life
Custom Artwork That Goes Beyond Print
Lunar New Year is all about tradition. But in 2025, TaiwanPlus—Taiwan’s official English-language media organization—set out to challenge the norms of what a traditional spring couplet could be. Instead of a static decoration, they envisioned a custom artwork that would evolve beyond print and into something dynamic, immersive, and tech-forward.
Enter illustrator Alec Lu and creative studio Benji’s of Brooklyn, who together transformed TaiwanPlus’ vision into a hybrid custom art and AR project that blends cultural symbolism with augmented reality art.
The result? A traditional holiday greeting that doesn’t just hang on a wall—it comes to life.
This isn’t just a beautifully designed Lunar New Year keepsake. It’s an interactive commercial art project that reimagines how augmented reality wall art can elevate engagement, deepen storytelling, and reinvent how we experience culture.
From Concept to Custom Artwork
For its Year of the Snake campaign, TaiwanPlus needed a key visual that captured the essence of the snake in Chinese mythology—transformation, wisdom, and renewal.
To bring this concept to life, they turned to Nien-Ken Alec Lu, a San Francisco-based illustrator whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Monocle, and The Washington Post. Known for his rich, narrative-driven style, Lu creates illustrations that thrive on tension between character and environment.
"The challenge was making the snake feel bold and modern, while still honoring its deep cultural roots," says Lu. "We started with abstract, minimalist sketches and gradually worked toward a more colorful, playful version that felt dynamic and alive."
The resulting custom artwork went through several iterations—from airy, conceptual forms to a coiled, richly textured serpent full of motion and meaning. But the project didn’t end with illustration alone.
The AR Twist: Turning a Custom Art Project Into an Immersive Experience
Once the illustration was finalized, Benji’s of Brooklyn stepped in with a bold idea: what if this custom art project didn’t stop at paper?
"We asked ourselves—what if this could move, respond, even surprise the viewer?" says TC Chou, Creative Director at Benji’s. "That’s where augmented reality came in."
The team saw the opportunity to turn a still image into a fully interactive augmented reality art piece—essentially transforming a beautiful design into AR wall art that users could activate with a smartphone.
But creating a custom AR project from hand-drawn illustration is no easy task. The transformation required a careful, multi-step process:
- Deconstructing the Artwork – Alec’s design was broken down into layers, making each element independently moveable while preserving the integrity of the original illustration.
- Programming Depth and Motion – Using AR platforms, Benji’s team mapped out movement paths, ensuring the snake's flow felt organic, not robotic.
- Interactive Triggers – Scanning the couplet activates hidden animations—subtle flourishes that celebrate tradition while delighting the user with surprise interactions.
A Lunar New Year Keepsake for Today’s World
The final product—an augmented reality wall art couplet—became more than just a festive decoration. It functioned as:
- ✅ A Premium Giveaway – TaiwanPlus gifted this custom artwork to stakeholders and cultural partners, reinforcing its brand with a thoughtful, elevated touch.
- ✅ A Traditional Decoration – Like any spring couplet, it could be hung in homes or offices, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune.
- ✅ An Interactive Experience – The custom AR project added a modern twist, appealing to younger audiences while deepening emotional connection through interactivity.
Merging Culture, Art, and Augmented Reality
For TaiwanPlus, the project became a bold experiment in reimagining traditional design as commercial art with immersive potential.
"We wanted something that felt timeless but forward-thinking," says TaiwanPlus. "This proves that technology and tradition coexist—they can elevate one another."
For Alec Lu, it was his first foray into augmented reality art. "Seeing my artwork come to life in AR was eye-opening," says Lu. "It reminded me that illustration doesn’t have to be confined to the page—it can become something you interact with, something that evolves."
And for Benji’s of Brooklyn, it was a validation of their vision: that AR isn’t just a tech gimmick, but a powerful tool for deepening engagement, enriching experiences, and offering a new kind of joy.
"Tradition doesn’t mean repetition," says Chou. "It means reimagining. This was a chance to use technology to honor the past while looking forward. And that’s exactly what we did."
As we step into the Year of the Snake, this collaboration stands as a shining example of what’s possible when custom artwork, storytelling, and AR technology come together: a project rooted in tradition, but made for today’s world.