W300xL250mm, China
When I saw this bag, I felt the tribal craft has really adapted to the new material and function. Carrying on the bold embroidery tradition, it has also made use of fluorescent beads and pom-poms, compartments for wallets and travelling pass.
W180xD150xH250mm, China
This is an iron figurine of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha (Dayuan Dizang Pusa). Bohisattva Ksitgarbha is one of the four bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism along with Samantabhadra, Manjusri and Avalokitesvara. Between the period of the death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya Buddha, Ksitgarbha is responsible for the enlightenment of all the beings in the six worlds. He vowed not attain buddhahood until the hell is empty of all beings.
In this figurine Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is holding a cintamani, a wish filling jewel, which came from the palace of the sea dragon. The cintamani has a capacity of relieve suffering and illness, a symbol of virtue of the Buddha.
If you still havent been, hurry up and get yourself some nice pottery from the Cobo Ceramic Workshop!
The event will end this Saturday.
W180xD180xH600mm, China
There is small gourd and large gourd. The Chinese has a strong endearment for the gourd, there are many legends and tales about the fruit and here is one of them.
In ancient time, some earthlings has angered the Jade Emperor, an order was place for the Thunder God to have the human exterminated, all the land was to be flooded. The Thunder God was worried that his own children would be killed by the flood, he gave his son Fu Hsi a gourd and asked him to plant it on the ground. As soon as the gourd touches the soil, in a couple of hours the roots formed, then sprout came out, followed by branches and gourd fruits. By night, the gourd has a girth the size of a small room. A few more hours later, the fruit was ripened, Fu Hsi and his sister Nu Wa cut a lid into the gourd and put all their garments and food inside. Fu Hsi tried to save the people around him but no one listened, at the end only Nu Wa and himself climbed inside the gourd and closed the lid tightly. Within an hour, the rain has started pouring and it lasted for 9 days and nights. The two stayed there inside the floating gourd until the roaring sound has stopped, Fu Hsi opened the lid and looked outside and there is nothing left but miles of water without edge.
This gourd is not quite as large but still got Spike intrigued.
Here are our other gourd items; Gourd Cricket Cage, Gourd Basket.
W250xH380mm, China
Before the introduction of the electrical fan, the hand held fan are essential household items. Poorer family would uses the palm leave fan, while the wealth ones with goose feather fans.
Goose feather fans has been associated with Zhu Ge Liang, the strategist of the San Guo period around 200AD. Since then, the goose feather fan took on also as a symbol of wisdom and power. There is the Chinese proverb “waving the goose feather fan” about the person who is the brain behind the show, the hand behind puppet.
W60xL330xD20mm, China
In the book Dream of the Red Chamber (Chapter 35), the young Pao Yu described a soup he had, one with young lotus leaves and lotus flower. These leaves and flowers are little ornamental dumplings placed inside the soup. The book went on to describe the moulds for their making. A set of 4 silver moulds, each just over a foot long and an inch thick. The moulds are the size of beans, of chrysanthemums, plum blossom, lotus seed, water chestnut. The Red Chamber is a family of culture and wealth and for the ordinary folks the moulds are made of wood instead of silver. With the pace of modern living, this delicate soup has now become the 疙瘩汤 … soup with comes from a stock cube and dumpling simply squeeze out of a plastic bag.
Isn’t this sad …
W100xD100xH250mm, Thailand
This is a old Thai monk figurine with folded palms, namaskara mudra. His palms are placed together at the level of the heart where in India is a traditional gesture of salutation and adoration, one of the oldest Indian mudras, a greeting expressed in the form of a prayer coming from one’s heart.
L1200xH700mm, China
This is a Yang Liu Qing wood block print portraying the story of the fearless Song dynasty warrior Di Qing (2nd left). The story has it that Di Qing and Liu Qing (1st left) of North Song was send by the Emperor to pacify the uprising to the west of the country. Unfortunately the army got lost and ended up in a wrong country, Dan Dan. There, Di Qing met the Dan Dan princess (3rd right) who fell in love with his looks. She lured him into the palace and asked for him to surrender and to marry her. Unwillingly, Di Qing wedded the princess but only thinking about escaping to defend his home land. The princess was upset that her newly wedded husband has departed without a word and set off after him, Di Qing explained about his duty and promised to return after his task. Like most plots, the hero forgot about the princess when he returned home with victory and never returned to Dan Dan. This time the princess was furious and led an army to attack Song, general Yang Zong Bao (center character) was no match with the princess and instructed Di Qing to deal with the princess. When the couple met, of course they forgot all about fighting and lived happily ever after …
Here is the opera version of the same story
W50xL100xH140mm, China
This is the figurine of one of the five goat riding saints, the legend goes back to 880 B.C. when Guangzhou was constantly hit by famine and plague, there were 5 saints each with a different colour garment and each riding a different colour goat. The 5 saints each offer 6 stalk of rice to the residence and bless the city to be free of famine. The goat 羊 is homophone to the word blessed 祥, which resulted in Guangzhou being also known as the 5 Goats City. It was a wish for the ancient farmers, never to stave again.
W500xL450xH500mm, Philippines
This is the mystical chicken from Mindanao of the Philippines, a predominantly Muslim island in the south. In Islamic legend, the prophet Mudammed found a bird in the first of the 7 heaven, the bird is so large that its crest touches the second heaven. Its crow would arouse all creatures except humans and judgement day would arrive when the crowing stop.
The word “sari” means colour / garment, “manok” means chicken. This is expressed clearly in the sculpture which is a symbol of blessing.
The Maranao believes Sarimanok is a totem bird called Itotoro which has a twin bird called Inikadowa. Inikadowa is a spirit bird that is unseen and through Itotoro as a medium, one can access the spirit world.
Mountain Folkcraft 