Date
31.10.2019
K11 MUSEA, a project inspired by a Muse by
the Sea, it combines over a hundred local and international architects,
designers and artists to curate a cultural silicon valley. Through this, we can
immerse art and design into daily lives and create an imaginative journey.
K11 Craft & Guild Foundation was
founded by Dr. Adrian Cheng in 2018 with a mission to conserve and rejuvenate
fast-disappearing Chinese traditional craftsmanship. The foundation builds
research initiatives, public educational programmes and craft modernisations in
a multi-disciplinary approach aiming to enhance urban experiences and expand
potential markets of Chinese crafts internationally.
In collaboration with K11 ARTUS, Curious
Wonders is a debut exhibition by K11 Craft & Guild Foundation that
showcases K11 ARTUS private collection of antiques from the Ming and Qing
dynasties and the foundation’s effort in conserving and rejuvenating
fast-disappearing Chinese traditional craftsmanship. In this exhibition, a
traveller’s trunk has been whimsically converted into a modern interpretation
of the curiosity cabinet. On display are two types of antique crafts:
baibaoqian (semi-precious stone inlays) and guangcai (Canton enamel
porcelains). With these craft works used as both functional objects in daily
living and works of art with distinct aesthetics made to delight and impress,
we hope to demonstrate the relevance of these age-old treasures in a creative
and contemporary setting. Next to the curiosity cabinet, a 1:1 replica of a
lion plaster-moulded sculpture from the roof of the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall in
Guangzhou is on display. Models of wooden caisson ceilings commonly seen in the
Zhejiang Ningshao area are also exhibited, flaunting the broad range of
architectural wonders found in different regions of China.