China Design Now at Liberty

Michael Wolf

gavino1 — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:00:55 +0000

Michael Wolf pays tribute to the factory workers in China who produce over 75% of the world’s cheap mass-produced plastic toys. ‘The Real Toy Story’ is an installation with over 20,000 toys which are attached to the wall alongside Wolf’s moving and beautifully observed photographs of the workers who make them.

Alongside the installation is a collection of his photos, ‘Architectures of Density’, in which he documents Hong Kong’s vibrant high-rise blocks, finding a mesmerizing abstraction in the buildings’ façades.

You can view a comprehensive catalog of Michaels work at

www.photomichaelwolf.com

And read a short biography here.

From catwalk to stadium – Guardian.co.uk

gavino1 — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:58:05 +0000

The Guardian (media sponsors of China Design Now) showcase a video featuring with the people behind the V&A’s exhibition.

Lin Jing

gavino1 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:19:16 +0000

Born in Guangzhou, China, Lin Jing originally had ambitions of becoming a mural painter after training in the subject at Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Arts. However, upon her graduation, Jing’s interest developed outside this discipline and led her to study sculpture in Brussel’s prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts.

Lin Jing’s collections are characterised by pure, simple lines and an understated elegance, taking abstractions of everyday objects to combine function and form. Epitomising this approach, the Keke and Fish porcelain collections to be stocked at Liberty, combine elegant contours and silhouettes with a high gloss finish to create an effortlessly stylish take on tableware.

(Lin Jing’s work will also be shown at the V&A China Design Now exhibition and a selection of product will also be available at the V&A Shop www.vandashop.com)

Sam Buxton

gavino1 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:18:34 +0000

From the Mikro series of fold-up sculptures to his electroluminescent tables and clocks, the work of the British born designer Sam Buxton is dominated by his experiments with advanced materials and technologies. Inspired by the unstoppable rise of China in the design world the “Made In China” chair, based on a traditional Chinese throne and adorned with electronic consoles, symbolises the link between electronic design synonymous with China and modern-day man, creating a piece that allows the user to interact with the work.

www.sambuxton.com

www.designmuseum.org/design/sam-buxton

Katherine Kwei

gavino1 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:18:11 +0000

Innovative design, exceptional quality and a deep reverence for tradition provide the foundation for accessories designer Katherine Kwei’s approach to her collections.

A childhood steeped in the intricate heritage and skills of Chinese knotting and embroidery sparked a profound respect for her cultural roots and a passion for working with her hands. Kwei’s designs seamlessly blend modernity and tradition with the use of the finest leathers combined with her distinctive signature Chinese “Eternity” knot weave.

www.katherinekwei.com

http://www.purseblog.com/meet-the-designer/meet-katherine-kwei/

Wok Media

gavino1 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:17:34 +0000

Julie Mathias and Wolfgang Kaeppner established WOKmedia in 2004 with a focus on the emotional dimension – an inherent memory or a physical sensation – a world embedded in their childhood memories. Their work celebrates make-believe and the development of worldly awareness. The limited edition series, ‘Made in China’, features traditional Chinese furniture embedded with hand-carved wooden toys and finished in white lacquer – each piece is unique and provides an edgy commentary on modern child’s play.

http://www.wokmedia.com/?page_id=7

Shaoo Jewelery

gavino1 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:17:10 +0000

Shaoo combines antique detailing with contemporary form to create a bold yet refined jewellery collection drawing inspiration from ancient cultures and classic Chinese civilisation and art.

Presented in a velvet grey box with fuchsia pink velvet lining and gold toggle fastening, darkly decadent skull necklaces in hand-carved Chinese black jade are adorned with 18 carat yellow or white gold and set with small sparkling diamonds. A spellbinding dragon bangle boasts a black jade carved dragon in the traditional Chinese aesthetic but modernised with the sleek white gold bangle and diamond detail.

Hang Feng

gavino1 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:16:45 +0000

In 2005 Feng created a riot of ravishing costumes for Anthony Minghella’s staging of Madame Butterfly with a mutiny of pattern, colour, folds, silks and drapery parading the stage; a unique selection of which will be on show at Liberty throughout China Design Now and at the V & A Museum.

A keen appreciation for colour, fluidity of design, craftsmanship and tradition characterises Han Feng’s work. Her career began with a collection of now signature pleated scarves but today extends far beyond the physical realm of fashion with the belief that design in any medium provides a means of communicating an emotional symbolic story.

www.hangfeng.com.hk

adfuncture

gavino1 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:15:47 +0000

In August 2002, adFunture Workshop released their first designer vinyl figure in Hong Kong and cemented the brand within the international designer figure movement. Graffiti artists, visual designers and art collectors form the company’s creative force and as a result adFunture has grown to be the embodiment of designer figure culture, playing an integral part in its revolution.

Inspired by the V&A’s examination of contemporary Chinese design adFunture have created a range of figures to complement the exhibition which will also be stocked at Liberty. Characters include the ‘Perk Pioneer’ (who arrives in a sealed box which remains unopened until after purchase meaning the customer is unaware which colour they’re adopting), a monochrome ‘Jellofox’ and a luminescent green ‘Monster Kar’, as well as an army of ‘China Buka’ graffiti figures.

Lisa Cheung

gavino1 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:15:29 +0000

Inspired by design and art at an early age, Lisa Cheung draws her inspiration from the vibrancy, colourful customs and culture of China, in particular the city of Hong Kong.

Chinese Princesses are a collection of baroque style chandeliers by Cheung. These intricate chandeliers draw inspiration from the traditional Chinese paper cutting craft and the ornate headdresses worn by Chinese princesses. Using laser technology and new materials Cheung modernises this ancient craft, shifting the parameters of craft and design and effortlessly merging tradition and innovation.