DIA100xH400mm, Hong Kong
A bamboo sculpture by the Hong Kong artist Bik Cheun Ha (1925-2009).
He started his career as a craft artisan, for his love of creation he became as self taught contemporary artist.
The Hong Kong Museum of Art featured a retrospective exhibition -“From Common to Uncommon – the Legend of Ha Bik-chuen” in 2011.
W310xH220, Japan
A limited comtempory Japanese wood block print by the artist Masaya, entitled the New Green.
DIA80xH60mm, China
This small wine cup is decorated with all the lucky symbols.
One the outside of the cup, are 5 red BATS circling the word LONGEVITY, next to it is a large green BAT hanging from it are a couple of GOLD COINS. On the inside of the cup, there is a LOTUS leave at the bottom with LOTUS BLOSSOMS on the side.
BAT – the word BAT (蝠 fu) have the same pronunciation as the word (福fu), symbolizing being blessed.
LONGEVITY – needs no further explanation
GOLD COINS – wealth
LOTUS BLOSSOM – the lotus plant grows on muddy ponds, the idea that such beautiful flowers can appear untained by the mud resembles purity
W70xL100xH60
This cute little wood carving is in fact a tool, a wood block stencil for fabric printing in India, bunta. The stencil is painstakingly carved out from a solid piece of wood guiding only by a rough piece of paper template. Here is how they are made.
Check out our other bunta.
W100xD80xH150, China
Today, the 14th Feburary and the 15th day of the Chinese New Year is the meeting of St. Valentine’s day of the Gregorian calendar and the Yuan Xiao (Chinese Valentine’s day) of the lunar calendar. While there is gift, flower, kissing on St. Valentine’s day, Yuan Xiao is a more subtle affair. In the past in China, girls are kept at home, out from the sight of the suitors. On Yuan Xiao, for the final celebration of the Chinese New Year festivity, there will be lantern festival in town, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls are free to attend. Almost like a high school party, romantic encountering take place.
European Size 38, China
The first record of slipper in China were found in the Nan Song Dynasty 1200 AD, not invention but in a travel log for a visit to India, a pair of shoes with open heel must be a novelty to the ambassador. It is recorded in detail that there are 2 types; one type is probably the ancestor of flip flop (the paduka), it has a leather sole and a tiny bone in the middle, one would wear it with the tiny bone in between the toes. The second type has a red leather strap that run around the sole of the slipper (who anyone know what is this other type that the traveller has seen/).
W398xH380mm, Cambodia
This is a Nang Sbek Toch shadow puppet, the smaller of the 2 types of shadow puppet in Cambodia.
Nang Sbek Toch means “theatre of small hides”, these puppets are made out of cow hides which is cleaned, treated, tanned before it is ready for use. A paper template is designed, portion of the hides is then cut out for use; patterns of lines are chiseled out enhance the feature of the puppet. Outline of the puppet are then stained for appearance of the puppet itself, as unlike the Chinese shadow puppet that are thin and translucent, the colouring of the Cambodian puppet will not have an impact on the shadow itself.
(you might want to switch off the sound for this video)
Here is a beautiful photo documentation.
See our other shadow puppets.
L300xW250xH150mm, Seychelles
A box that is smooth and polished like on the outside and full of texture in the inside. A container that is made out of the shell of the Coco de Mer, the largest seed of any plant in the world.
The first time I heard about Coco de Mer, was through a radio commercial when I was a child. In this cough syrup commercial, the Coco de Mer was referred to as African deep sea coconut, my imagination went wild – an African jungle at the bottom of the ocean where none of the animal would cough. Then when I am older, occasionally I would be told they are in the content of an exotic soup, it is as hard as wood and taste of nothing in particular.
Only in this research did I realized that they are the seed of a palm tree (not a coconut at all) and only exist in thePraslin islands of the Seychelles (not a underwater jungle).
W230xL230mm, China
Begonia shape? I see no flower but only a squarish bowl, what is this all about?
The begonia shape comes from the outline of the flower, the niches formed by overlapping of the petals are conceptualized. Gone are the details of the flower, the anther, the stigma and even the petals, what remains in the negative of the flower. The begonia shape is a popular decorative element and is not restricted to pottery, it expand also to the realm of architecture; doorways, windows, gillworks, pavings, etc.
W1070xH1180mm, China
A wall hanger embroidery, use for festivities such as birthday for the elders or for new born babies.
The embroidery is full of well wishes;
Blossom of the Four Season Flowers – (Narcissus, Lotus, Chrysanthemum, Plum) representing good fortune all year round.
Dragon & Phoenix – (Dragon a concept of mammals, fish and reptiles while the phoenix of the birds) the combination of the dragon and the phoenix is the totality, the perfect match.
Kirin Delivery of a Baby Boy – (legend of how Confucius was born) and of course every parents would like to have a son as smart as Confucius.
Ru Yi and the Birthday Peach – (man on a horse was holding a scepter and a birthday peach). The birthday peach representing longevity while the decorative scepter has the name of “as you wish”.
Mountain Folkcraft 