In China, Reviving an Ancient City and Its Craft Traditions
"BEIJING — For centuries, the ancient city walls of Cicheng in southern China have encased a traditional Chinese chessboard of streets and alleys, together with more than a hundred historic temples and residences, many of them dating back to the early 700s.
When local officials began the process of restoring Cicheng’s ancient architecture, they were confident that tourists would flock to see it, but were wary of turning it into a “dead” city filled with heritage sites and souvenir stores trading on the past. Hoping to avoid that, they have embarked on an ambitious program to revitalize Cicheng’s craft traditions by encouraging artisans and designers to study and work there." November 2, 2012 The New York Times read the full article When reading things like this, I really feel that my thesis was in the right moment and in the right place. I'd love to be back in China and do something about it. But I will! |
|
CustomMade, Online Marketplace for Custom Goods
CustomMade is an online marketplace based in Boston, that connects customers looking for custom goods with more than 3,000 artisans (video). Customers create project proposals (currently for jewelry, home decor, & furniture) and artisans respond with bids. Once the customer chooses an artisan, the project is started. The whole process is facilitated and guaranteed by CustomMade. To see completed projects, check out this gallery.
"To put it simply, we believe that everyone should try custom, and we think that buying custom from local Makers is a viable alternative to buying from big box retailers. For that reason, we’re creating a platform that allows you to engage in a whole new way as a consumer." Source: http://laughingsquid.com/custommade-online-marketplace-for-custom-goods/ |
Lantern Mission Trip
Hi everyone,
this is a piece of news related to an initiative of my friends and me, our lanterns mission is approaching and anyone who's interested to take part is more than welcome. We are going to 扬州 Yangzhou in Jiangsu province to meet Mister Sun 孙, the artisan that we met at Chinese New Year in Yuyuan Garden, and makes the traditional lanterns decoration for the festival. The place is few hours by shanghai, and the weekend planned is the 18-19-20 of May. We will be provided with cameras, recorder and any toll to collect information and record our trip. The material will be used to make a little visual story at the end, and accomplish this cultural exploration in chinese crafts :) Any idea about this is welcome!! Here some references: http://www.yangzhou.gov.cn/english/gongyi/yz_en_lmtt.shtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantern_Festival To get more information feel free to contact me. |
Franz, Caggi and Vale emerging from Mister Sun's lanterns.
|
Made by Hand
Video is usually the best tool to communicate something, especially if you want to create an emotional link with the person on the other side and convey the value of what you're doing. When a good storytelling comes across your way...you end up falling for it!
Made by Hand is a new short film series celebrating the people who make things by hand — sustainably, locally, and with a love for their craft. You can watch the videos and follow it on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/madebyhand |
Design & crafts. Where is the (real) news?
From D La Repubblica
"Last night at Design Circle (the circuit of open conferences/debates organized by Patrizia Coggiola and hosted this time by Skitsch) we have been talking about crafts and design. A topic on which, normally, everyone agrees: manual skills have to be respected and supported. Luckily, though, instead of the usual presentation of stunning objects conceived by designers and made by artisans – designed to “rediscover traditions”, the discussion was quickly moved onto more tangible topics on which the participating speakers had different opinions. Here are the questions raised…" keep on reading The whole interview is available in Italian on futuroartigiano.com http://futuroartigiano.com/design-e-artigianato-un-dialogo-fra-laura-trealdi-e-stefano-maffei/ |
Futuro Artigiano
Esce il nuovo libro di Stefano Micelli “Futuro Artigiano”.
“Probabilmente i giovani guardano all’artigianato come un lavoro di basso profilo…ma e’ invece l’artigianato e la creativita’ artigianale che hanno reso grandi settori come la moda, le calzature, il design perche’ dall’unione tra tradizione ed innovazione e’ nato il made in Italy. In trasmissione ne abbiamo parlato con il prof Stefano Micelli ed abbiamo raccolto le testimonianze di due artigiani Gianluigi Geroni e Giovanni Caputo.” Futuro Artigiano su RadioRai1, ascolta online |
The new book by Stefano Micelli “Futuro Artigiano” (Handcraft Future) has just been released.
“Probably young people look down to craftsmanship as a low level job...but it's craftsmanship and its creativity who made big markets like fashion, shoes, design, because it's from the fushion between tradition and innovation that was born the made in Italy. During our broadcast we talked about it with prof Stefano Micelli and we've collected the stories of two craftman Gianluigi Geroni and Giovanni Caputo.” Source: http://futuroartigiano.com/ |
Extrusion by Philippe Malouin for Carwan Gallery
|
Hackney designer Philippe Malouin worked with traditional craftsmen from Beirut to create a series of bowls and plinths by shaping wooden blocks made of many smaller, tessellating batons.
Commissioned by Carwan Gallery, his Extrusion project combines the techniques used to make decorative wooden inlays with those of a lathe-worker. Source: http://www.dezeen.com/ |
ANALOGICO/DIGITALE
What is the future of Made in Italy?
Connecting the local crafting experience and knowledge with the extraordinary opportunities given by new technologies for digital manufacturing, and with the fabbing culture. A group of brave artisans together with a group of designers chosen by SUBALTERNO1, a gallery specialized in self-production. All of this, enhanced by Tecnificio, a maker facility. New temporary microateliers with a consolidated know-how are going to start a creative revolution empowered by craftsmanship and the new production technologies. Real Utopia. An oxymoron is at the heart of an open culture that takes the best of both worlds. With the ability to experiment with new |
creative configurations that could be either abstract-concrete, explicit-tacit or scalable-unique.
How? By creating an original making culture, experimental, local, full of manufacturing quality, savoir faire and hacker spirit of discovery. Mixing designers, artisans businesses, fablab, to create new connections and new ways of working. Where? Inside a physical place. SUBALTERNO1 Design Gallery. In an exhibition set up by the craftsmen + fabbers together with the designers. http://vimeo.com/39735880 Take tradition and evolve it. TRADITIONS BUILD UP! MAKE YOUR OWN TRADITION! Source: http://analogicodigitale.it/en/ |
Embrace the Art of Shadow Play -- The World Heritage Handcraft Learning Workshop --
Yejo Circle organizes 2-day trip (21-22 april) to an old town just outside Shanghai to learn a bit more about Chinese Handcraft.
"The succession of the Non-material World Heritage is not only the skillfulness of the successor, but more for the contemporary us to understand and be able to appreciate the essence and receive the energy from the art of Eternity…
Behind the light and screen are the gleaming faces of smile. The empowered life is manifested vividly in each rhythmic movement. Up from the seats of audiences, experience the depth as a dancer… "
To learn more visit http://yejocircle.weebly.com/art-of-shadow-play.html
"The succession of the Non-material World Heritage is not only the skillfulness of the successor, but more for the contemporary us to understand and be able to appreciate the essence and receive the energy from the art of Eternity…
Behind the light and screen are the gleaming faces of smile. The empowered life is manifested vividly in each rhythmic movement. Up from the seats of audiences, experience the depth as a dancer… "
To learn more visit http://yejocircle.weebly.com/art-of-shadow-play.html
Shanghai Ecodesign Fair
eco design fair 2012
2012年生态环保设计展
april 14, 2012
2012年4月14日
10:00-17:00
the cool docks & the waterhouse at south bund
http://www.ecodesignfair.cn/
2012年生态环保设计展
april 14, 2012
2012年4月14日
10:00-17:00
the cool docks & the waterhouse at south bund
http://www.ecodesignfair.cn/