May 14 - June 30, 2008
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, 1 East 42nd Street, New York
Taiwan Crafts and Design at Passport to Taiwan
May 25, 2008
Union Square South(14th street and Broadway), New York
Taiwan Crafts and Design at International Immigrants Foundation Expo-Fest
June 15, 2008
6th Av,between 47th and 48th street, New York
"Taiwan Crafts and Design" is a collaborative project organized by NTCRI (National Taiwan Crafts Research Institute) and TDC (Taiwan Design Center), which aims to transform traditional craft techniques in the contemporary context through design.
8 Artisans worked closely with 8 designers as pairs on this project, exploring possibilities rendered by the encounters of century old industries and new design ideas. Crafts exploited in this project are bamboo weaving, wood carving, natural dye, ceramics and metal works, which not only have their significance in Chinese culture but also are deeply rooted in the harmonious relationship between man and Nature.
Employing tradition as starting point, the outcome of this project is nothing typical; instead, it is contemporary, functional and rich in meaning. However, different from the current trend of conceptual design, they embody the intuitive and insightful wisdom from Chinese philosophy and are carefully executed through skillful handcraftsmanship, to finally propose a way of life that is intelligent, sophisticated and moral.
These works are being exhibited at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, 1 East 42nd Street, New York, from May 14 through June 30, 2008, and on special events: Passport to Taiwan, Union Square South(14th street and Broadway), on May 25 and International Immigrants Foundation Expo-Fest, 6th Av, between 47th and 48th street, on June 15, 2008.