Bamboo Exhibition by craftsman from East Asia
I appreciated a bamboo exhibition was held at CRAFTS ON PEEL.
We often see many scaffolds put up by bamboo beside a building on a way everywhere and there are Chinese dumplings in a bamboo basket at a restaurant. So bamboo is quite familiar to Hong Kong people especially.
Artisans from East Asia such as Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong have come together to share their works and their journey in reinventing the traditional craft of bamboo. Those works consist of different types of one from use in our usual life to a more artistic one.
The introduction of the work and craftsman was described next to those arts, in addition, I could watch the video the craftsman actually create on tablet.
There were a few visitors there when I arrived at the place afternoon. After check-in at reception, a coordinator guided and explained those futures, history, author, and so on to me kindly.
Even in the middle of a busy city, I learned something new while feeling a calm atmosphere. So I will leave my impressions.
Traditional culture in Hong Kong
Keeping a bird had been in fashion for many people who stay in Hong Kong in the middle of the 1900s, most of the people carried their own bird in a cage in the city during the era. Thus, some visited a tearoom to enjoy drinking tea (飲茶) bring with the cage.
You can see the bird culture at the below Bird Garden if you are interested in the traditional atmosphere further.
園圃街雀鳥花園 Yuen Po Street Bird Garden
The birdcages in this exhibition are created in a combination with a ton of strip of bamboo by the fine hand of a master. Some painted works have a strong, sturdy, and massive feeling I should not know that if that is created by bamboo.
Works with warm and daily life
There are also Furniture like a fruit bag, a basket of steamed food, and Fashion items like a bag, hat to wear. I am surrounded by many useful but inorganic products in real life. On the other hand, truly “natural” items are difficult to use for us.
In short, these artificial natural products are useful for us and also relax and rest ourselves at the same time. We can enjoy seeing them visually in our room because the appearance is nice to look at.
Light and shadow
There is a unique shaped light in a convention center in Hong Kong. You might see it if you have been to a traditional restaurant there. You will be satisfied with the dishes under the lamp pour subdued light sustained by bamboo.
Not only the light but also the shadow surprised me. A light settles in a hollow bamboo utensil draw a projection of the shadow on the wall. The leaked contrast of the light and shadow through a crack is quite dreamy and beautiful.
I imagined ancient people probably enjoy such kind of light art in the nighttime because they still have no enough electric light alike nowadays so that they must have thought of the method to delight the long dark night even the slight glossiness.
Subtle but bold design
I met some Animals generated by bamboo. Especially the above dog looks solid and dynamic feeling of his life. The movement of each complicated bamboo expresses a dynamic dog.
Some of the light deceives me alike he has a temperature. It probably looks like the bamboo is just coiled sloppily at a glance, but needless to say, this well thought out design.
I didn’t know about bamboo creations before but this experience encouraged me to investigate the culture, history, and things further.
Keep changing, keep going.
