Monthly Archives: April 2017

Hip-hop & Fine Art in the Forbidden City

April 28, 2017 2017年4月28日

 

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Yulong Huang is a Chinese contemporary artist based in Beijing, China. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in 2007, he has made a name for himself as a pioneering member of China’s new generation of artists. Fascinated with foreign culture since his youth, Huang combines Eastern tradition with modern influences to express a new Chinese youth identity. Best known for his sculptures of Buddhas in hoodies, his works have been featured in exhibitions around China and the world.

中国当代艺术家黄玉龙2007年毕业于景德镇陶瓷学院雕塑专业，目前生活在北京。他被誉为中国新一代先锋艺术家。黄玉龙年轻时就对外国文化特别感兴趣，通过融合东方传统文化与现代影响, 他诠释出一种全新的中国青年文化。他最著名的作品是穿着帽衫的佛像, 其作品曾在中国和世界各地的展览会上展出。

Website: yulonghuang.com
Instagram: @huang__yulong

 

Videographer & Contributor: George Zhi Zhao
Music Courtesy of Do Hits Records

网站: yulonghuang.com
Instagram: @huang__yulong

 

视频摄影师与供稿人: George Zhi Zhao
视频音乐友情提供: Do Hits Records

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“Same Mistakes” by Seramic

April 27, 2017 2017年4月27日

 

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“Same Mistakes” is the latest music video from Seramic for his upcoming EP, I Got You. Beautifully shot in Hong Kong, the music video is a cinematic journey of a couple’s troubled relationship, played out through dance in the neon-lit streets and backalleys of the city.

《Same Mistakes》是 Seramic 最新EP《I Got You》的MV。MV在香港取景拍摄，通过女主角在香港霓虹闪烁的街道和小巷中的舞蹈，讲述了一对情侣在情感上遭遇的困境。

The role of the female protagonist is played by Angela Hang, an accomplished dancer and choreographer, and the founder of Hong Kong’s Studiodanz dance school. According to Seramic, “Our idea was to have the female character gain strength as the film progresses and be joined by dancers who act as guides, coming out of nowhere to help her get back her power and break into dance. The video plays with the audience’s expectations and breaks out of traditional narrative into more of a surreal, dream world.”

MV中的女主角由Angela Hang演绎。她是一位出色的舞蹈家和舞蹈指导, 也是香港Studiodanz 舞蹈学校的创始人。据Seramic自己解释，“我们的概念是展现出女主角在影片中不断获得力量的过程，其他舞蹈演员则扮演着她的向导，在片中陆续出现，与女主角一起跳舞，帮助女主角寻获力量。这部MV颠覆了观众的预期, 打破传统叙事风格，呈现出一个超现实的幻想世界。”

Facebook: ~/seramicofficial
Instagram: @seramic
Soundcloud: ~/seramic

 

Contributor: George Zhi Zhao
Video & Images Courtesy of Seramic

脸书: ~/seramicofficial
Instagram: @seramic
Soundcloud: ~/seramic

 

供稿人: George Zhi Zhao
视频与图片由Seramic提供

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An Elegant & Minimal Lifestyle

April 26, 2017 2017年4月26日

 

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Staxx is a lifestyle brand founded in Shanghai by Richard Langone and Leilei Peng. Combining their mutual expertise in interior design, furniture, and architecture, Staxx develops unique, high-quality, and environmentally-friendly products for modern living. Their first collection features a series of furniture products that assemble without tools using interlocking wood panels. We spoke with Langone about his experience developing the brand, his philosophy on design, and his thoughts on the Chinese market.

Staxx是由设计师Richard Langone和Leilei Peng在上海创立的一个生活家居品牌。两位设计师融合各自在室内设计、家具和建筑设计方面的专长，打造出一系列高品质、独特、环保的现代家具产品。品牌首个家具产品系列采用互锁式组合的木板设计，无须工具即可组装。我们与Langone聊了有关他创办品牌的故事，他的设计理念以及他对中国市场的一些看法。

Neocha: How did the idea for Staxx come about?

Langone: The specific catalyst was an interior project in Hangzhou in which the challenge was to convert a 24-story office building into apartments. Our design concept was to create cool, urban “micro-lofts” with exposed ceilings and open kitchens, emphasizing a wall of glass and views of Hangzhou. It was a concept we loved but were unable to convince the developer to do as it was something they hadn’t seen in China before. It was a big disappointment, but during the design process, we began thinking about the type of furniture a space like this should have, and that evolved into the first collection of Staxx products as we know them today.

Neocha: 为什么会想到创办Staxx品牌？

Langone: 最直接的原因是一次在杭州的室内设计项目，我们要将一幢24层的办公大楼改造成一座公寓大楼。我们想到了一个很酷的城市“微型阁楼”的设计概念，采用明架式天花板和开放式厨房，加上玻璃墙的设计，让住客可以欣赏到杭州的风景。我们都很喜欢这个概念，但却没办法说服开发商接受这个他们在中国还没见过的设计概念。这令我们感到非常失望，但在设计过程中，我们开始思考这样的住宅空间应该配搭什么样的家具，然后逐渐地，这些想法就演变成了我们现在看到的Staxx 品牌的首个产品系列。

Neocha: Can you tell us about some challenges that you’ve overcome during the process of creating Staxx?

Langone: The first obstacle for us was to find a manufacturer that could make our product. We learned quickly that the designs were deceivingly simple, so lots of manufacturers underestimated the difficulty and were not able to meet our standards. Since the furniture assembles without tools by using interlocking wood panels, the acceptable tolerance is quite small. We needed a skilled craftsman. The next obstacle was figuring out the right supplier for materials. It took us six to nine months to find the materials we need in order to make a product that meets our expectations. As a result, we ended up at one of the most impressive manufacturers I have seen, and we are creating a product that exceeds our original expectations in both quality and finish.

Neocha: 在创办Staxx品牌期间，你们遇到了哪些挑战？

Langone: 我们的第一个挑战是要找到愿意生产我们产品的制造商。但很快，我们就发现，因为我们的产品设计看上去如此简单，导致很多厂家都低估了生产它们的难度，也无法达到我们的标准要求。因为这些家具采用了互锁式的木板设计，无需使用工具组装，所以对材料的可接受容差很小，需要熟练的工匠来实现。紧接着的挑战是选择合适的材料供应商。就这样6到9个月后，我们终于找到了一家令我最印象深刻的供应商，而最终的品质和成品效果都超乎我们原来的期望值。

Neocha: How is Staxx different from other lifestyle furniture brands on the market?

Langone: One important way we differ is our emphasis on material. Our choice to use plywood results in a high-quality luxury product that will last a generation, even though it looks so simple. Plywood is an engineered, man-made material that is 100% wood, but by layering the plys and turning the grain, the strength and resistance to warping and cracking become far superior to solid wood. The boards we use are FSC certified and come from managed forests to ensure sustainability.

The best part about plywood for us is that it is a standardized material available in most places around the globe, so theoretically, we can send a digital design file to a CNC machine anywhere in the world and use the same standardized Baltic birch plywood boards we use here and eliminate trans-oceanic shipping of finished product. This type of revolutionary design idea has the potential to change supply chains around the world. We are seeing the same philosophy with 3D printing, and we’re excited about what the future of design technology will bring.

Neocha: Staxx与目前市场上其它生活家具品牌有何不同之处？

Langone: 我们和其它品牌最重要的不同之处，是我们对原材料的重视。我们选择使用胶合板来打造出高品质的奢侈产品。虽然看上去很简单，但十分耐用，可以供人们用一辈子。胶合板是100%木材组成的人造材料，但通过将多层木片以木纹相互垂直的方式叠合，最终形成远远优于实木的高强度、抗扭曲和抗破裂品质。我们使用的是FSC认证的木板，它们都来自经营良好的森林，有助确保森林的可持续性。胶合板还有一点优势——这是一种标准化的材料，在世界各地大多数地方都有生产，所以理论上来说，我们可以将产品设计文件发送给世界随便一个地方的数控机床，然后使用同一种标准的波罗的海桦木胶合板来制造产品，这样就能避免跨洋航运产品。这种革命性的设计理念很有可能会改变世界各地的供应链模式。这一点与3D打印技术是类似的，对于未来的设计技术会带来什么变化，我们都很期待。

Neocha: Can you tell us more about Staxx’s philosophy and approach to design?

Langone: Staxx is about minimalism and the idea that simpler is better. We believe that true luxury is about living a comfortable and simple life, and our products reflect that. We created a simple utilitarian look, but the sculpted 2D interlocking panels come together in a surprisingly elegant way. The edge of the plywood panels have a linear quality that we love, and we celebrate this by emphasizing it in our designs. We were inspired by Charles and Ray Eames, who in the 1940s were the pioneers of using plywood for furniture. Many of their designs are still being produced today and have become so common that we forget how innovative these iconic uses of plywood were at the time.

We are making a flat-pack furniture concept that is high quality, made of heavy materials, and assembles without tools or hardware. Our preconceived ideas of flat-pack are based on IKEA furniture, and although we have great respect for what they do, their products are made of lesser quality materials, so the product life is short. Our philosophy is that a well-made product using quality materials will last longer, therefore, reducing the amount of waste consumers produce by replacing their furniture. Or to put it another way, good design is only good if it is not harmful to the environment we live in.

Neocha: 你能跟我们分享更多关于Staxx品牌的理念和设计方法吗？

Langone: Staxx主张极简主义，我们相信越简单越好。真正意义上的奢侈品应该能让人们过上舒适和简单的生活，而我们的产品正好体现了这一点。我们的产品外观设计简单而实用，雕刻的2D互锁式木板组合在一起后，呈现出异常优雅设计。我们很喜欢这些胶合板边缘的线条纹理，所以在设计中也特意强调了这一点。我们的灵感来自于设计师Charles和Ray Eames夫妇，他们是 1940 年代胶合板家具设计的先驱。他们的很多设计至今还被沿用，并且成为了人们司空见惯的产品，以至于人们有时会忘记这些胶合板家具的经典设计在当时是多么具有革新精神的设计。我们现在正在设计一个高品质的平板包装家具系列，采用重质材料制成，同样无需工具或硬件组装。我们最先关于平板包装家具的理念来自于宜家。我们很欣赏这个品牌，但他们的产品采用的原材料品质不够好，所以其产品的生命周期也较为短暂。而我们的理念是，使用优质的材料，制作精良的产品，让产品更耐用，从而减少消费者更换家具时造成的浪费。换种说法，好的设计不应该对我们生活的环境造成负面的影响。

Neocha: How have consumer tastes in China changed in recent years, and where do you think they are headed in the near future?

Langone: We are seeing more people adopt the idea that “comfort is the new luxury.” We are doing interior residential design for the mid to upper end of the local market, and we are seeing that people want a more understated home. The biggest shift we see in the villa communities is towards an American lifestyle with large comfortable furniture, open floor plans, Western kitchens, and outdoor living spaces. In urban areas, we are seeing a big influence of Scandinavian modernism, minimalist spaces, light woods, white walls, and lots of natural light.

In general, I think lifestyles in China will become some hybrid of Chinese tradition and Western culture. There seems to be a love of Western lifestyle ideas, but also a love of Chinese heritage and tradition. I anticipate we will see this interesting mix of new China style, Scandinavian modernism, and the comfort of American lifestyle dominating the market for the next few years.

Neocha: 近几年来，中国消费者的偏好发生了什么变化，在不久的将来，又会如何进一步变化？

Langone: 我们看到越来越多的中国消费者认同“舒适才是新的奢侈”这种想法。我们目前的室内住宅设计主要针对本地的中端到高端市场，我们看到人们越来越倾向于风格更低调的家。在别墅社区，最大的转变是人们越来越喜欢美国的生活方式，喜欢舒适的大件家具、开放式的楼层设计、西式厨房和户外生活空间。而在城市地区，人们更偏向于北欧现代主义和极简主义的风格，喜欢轻质木材、白色的墙面设计和充足的自然光线。

总的来说，我认为中国消费者的生活方式会逐渐演变为中国传统和西方文化的某种混合体。他们喜欢西方的生活方式，但同时也热爱中国的传统文化。我相信新的中国生活方式、北欧现代主义和美国的舒适生活态度的结合，会是未来几年家居市场的主要设计风格。

Website: staxx.com.cn
Facebook: ~/staxxbrand
Instagram: @staxxbrand
Weibo: @staxxbrand
JDMall: ~/staxx

 

Contributor: George Zhi Zhao

网站: staxx.com.cn
脸书: ~/staxxbrand
Instagram: @staxxbrand
微博: @staxxbrand
京东: ~/staxx

 

供稿人: George Zhi Zhao

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An Artful Aftermath

April 25, 2017 2017年4月25日

Cleveland-born and Singapore-based artist Debra Raymond knows first hand about being in transit. After leaving Ohio, she lived in Jakarta before relocating to the little red dot; in her art,“constant migration” remains as a heavy inspiration. Contemporary social issues such as urban alienation and technology’s hindrance on human connection feature heavily within her body of work.

艺术家Debra Raymond出生于美国克利夫兰，如今定居新加坡。对于”迁徙“，她深有体会。离开俄亥俄州后, 她先是在雅加达生活,后又移居新加坡。在她的作品中, “不间断的迁徙” 一直是一种沉重的创作灵感，她在作品中深入探讨着各种当代社会问题, 如城市异化和科技对人际关系的影响等等。

During her BA (Hons) Fine Arts in Singapore’s LASALLE College of the Arts, she explored the significance of play in childhood development and how to encourage human interaction through art in our technologically advanced era. In late 2016, Raymond completed an artist residency at the Children Centre of Japan in the Miyagi Prefecture’s Ogatsu-cho. During her residency, she conducted workshops with local children to create a series of works to remember the 2011 tsunami and earthquake.

在新加坡拉萨尔艺术学院（LASALLE College of the Arts）攻读荣誉学士学位期间, 她研究了戏剧在童年发展中的意义, 以及如何在科技先进的时代通过艺术来鼓励人类互动。2016年9月, Raymond 完成了“艺术家驻住计划”（Artist-in-residence），居住在日本宫城县小村庄Ogatsu-cho的儿童中心。期间, 她以2011年的海啸事件为灵感，为当地的儿童举办艺术讲习班。

Inspired by the houses that survived the tsunami, Raymond created 20 sculptures out of wood that was foraged from the area. The sculptures are based on 30 sketches that were painted in 30 days. The series was created to commemorate “the everydayness that we often take for granted” and installed around the prefecture.

Raymond 以海啸中幸存的房子为启发，利用当地获取的木材，并以她在驻住期间完成的30幅作品为基础创作了20个雕塑。她所创作这一系列雕塑，被安放在村庄的不同角落，目的是为了赞颂 “那些往往被人们当作理所当然的平凡生活” 。

Website: debraymond.com
Instagram: @deb.ra

 

Contributor: Whitney Ng
Images Courtesy of Debra Raymond

 

网站: debraymond.com
Instagram: @deb.ra

 

供稿人: Whitney Ng
图片由Debra Raymond提供

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Tokyo Roller-zoku Gangs

April 24, 2017 2017年4月24日

Tokyo Roller-zoku Gangs is a portrait series from American photographer Denny Renshaw. Created in Tokyo across five weeks in 2013 and 2015, the series was shot in parks, parties, bars, and music venues around the city. Renshaw tells us more about the series and the history behind the Roller-zoku subculture below.

2013年和2015年期间，美国摄影师Denny Renshaw前往东京，用五个星期的时间在公园、派对、酒吧和音乐场所拍摄下人像作品系列《Tokyo Roller-zoku Gangs》（Roller-zoku 指上世纪五六十年代东京的摇滚文化）。下面Renshaw 给我们介绍了这一人像作品系列，并讲述这种日本摇滚亚文化现象背后的一些故事。

“Among Japan’s many fashion tribes, one of the less explored is the Roller-zoku. For over 30 years the Roller-zoku have been borrowing greaser styles, gathering together for loud rock-and-roll music, and sporting leather, denim, and big greased up pompadours. Foreigners often associate them with the group of Roller-zoku seen in Yoyogi Park every Sunday, but this tribe can be found all over Tokyo. The Roller-zoku have grown from the roots of both 50’s and 60’s rock and roll and rockabilly because Japanese record labels did not differentiate between these musical categories at the time of their introduction.”

“在日本的各种时尚圈子中，Roller-zoku是其中比较鲜为人知的群体。30多年来，这些日本摇滚人一直在借鉴街头混混的造型风格, 他们聚集在一起听吵闹的摇滚音乐, 穿上皮夹克、牛仔服，向上梳起复古的‘庞毕度头’（pompadours）。外国人一般会首先想到的是每周日出现在代代木公园的Roller-zoku, 但其实他们遍布了东京的各个角落。Roller-zoku源自于50年代和60年代的摇滚乐和洛卡比里（Rockabilly）音乐, 因为在当时，日本的唱片公司把这些音乐混为一谈。”

“Japan experienced the popularity of these early rock-and-roll styles as did much of the world at that time, but it was the revival in the late 70’s that brought the fashions still associated with the Roller-zoku. Japanese bands like the Cools and Carol were at the forefront of this musical revival and began associating themselves with leather jackets, greased back hair, and motorcycles.”

”和当时世界其他地方一样，早期摇滚风格在日本经历了备受追捧的热潮，但直到70年代的复兴时期，才出现这种摇滚音乐的标志性时装风格。正是Cools and Carol 和其他引领着这种音乐复兴浪潮的日本乐队, 让皮夹克、‘庞毕度头’和摩托车与这种音乐文化关联起来。

“Unlike many other fashion tribes, these greasers are often all ages from the young to the old. An interesting aspect of this tribe is some members’ predilection for dancing, which can be seen being practiced in Tokyo parks on weekends. Much like early hip-hop was associated with breakdancing, Roller-zoku have their own brand of dancing, incorporating classic rock-and-roll dancing as well as intricate footwork, acrobatics, and theatricality.”

”不同于许多其它时尚圈子, 这些梳着‘庞毕度头’的摇滚人中既有年轻人也有年长者。关于这个群体，一个有趣的地方是一些成员特别喜欢跳舞。周末的时候，你会在东京的公园看到他们练习跳舞。就像霹雳舞是早期嘻哈音乐的标志性舞蹈一样，Roller-zoku 也有自己的特色舞蹈，他们在传统的摇滚舞蹈基础上，加入了复杂的步法, 动作和戏剧元素。“

Website: dennyrenshaw.com
Instagram: @dennyrenshaw

 

Contributor: George Zhi Zhao
Images Courtesy of Denny Renshaw

网站: dennyrenshaw.com
Instagram: @dennyrenshaw

 

供稿人: George Zhi Zhao
图片由Denny Renshaw提供

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An Experiment with Alchemy

April 21, 2017 2017年4月21日

 

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Each year, China-born and Japan-based fashion designer Leonard Wong releases a new short film for his self-titled label during fashion week. Created in collaboration with the creative duo INSIDE FLESH, Wong’s latest film, Alchemy, accompanies an experimental clothing line of the same name. The garments depicted in the film aren’t available to the public but acutely convey Wong’s affinity for bold lines, one of the most vital aspects in all of his designs.

《ALCHEMY》是由居住在日本的华裔时装设计师Leonard Wong为他的同名服装品牌所创作的的艺术短片，由INSIDE FLESH执行拍摄。每年的时装周发布会上，Wong会在发布时装设计作品的同时，也发布一支关于他品牌的艺术短片。那些出现在短片里的试验线服装，虽然不是生产后投入市场的成衣，但这些短片呈现出了Leonard Wong品牌试验线的意识形态，也是他设计作品中不可或缺的一部分。

Wong brought in Poland-based performance artist Sylvia Lajbig and Japanese dance duo AyaBambi to create this experimental film. The choreography for Alchemy is characterized by raw, explosive power, an energy that’s infused with feminine grace and surreal tension. Moving in a new artistic direction, the film appropriately conveys Wong’s ongoing mission of breaking out of conformity in order to create something new and exciting. “I’m good friends with AyaBambi in my personal life. We’ve collaborated many times in the past in all sorts of different ways. I feel like our auras are quite similar. And because of our like-mindedness, the video shoot went quite smoothly.”

在这支短片中，Wong邀请到日本双人舞蹈组合AyaBambi与形为艺术家Sylvia Lajbig合作。她们所创作的舞蹈以爆发力为特点，编舞具有女性的阴柔之美，但同时又以诡异的张力著称，其中也不乏夸张的艺术手法，这种打破传统的表现方式和Leonard Wong一直追求的品牌理念——“颠覆传统，特异独行”契合度很高，性格中的相似性让他们不谋而合。Wong和我们分享道：“私底下我与AyaBambi就是好朋友，有过几次不同形式的合作，我感觉我们的气场很合很投缘，在拍摄的过程中一切都进行得非常顺利，因为我们的想法也都很接近。”

Inspired by the actual protoscience of alchemy, Wong describes creating this experimental fashion line as his discovery of the Philosopher’s Stone, which is a legendary alchemical substance that’s known as being able to bestow immortality and give access to an unbridled energy, one that can transmute rocks into precious metals and merge humans with animals to unpredictable results. Watch the entirety of Leonard Wong’s magnum opus above.

这支短片的创作灵感来自于炼金术 （alchemy），并以此命名。炼金术象征永垂不朽，一种肆无忌惮的能量使石头变为金属，也融合了人类和动物，带来的结果无法预料。点开上方视频，看看Leonard Wong营造的实验性世界吧。

Websites:
leonardwong.jp
ayabambi.net

Instagram:
@leonardwong_official
@ayasato_official

Vimeo: ~/leonardwong

 

Contributor: Ye Zi
Video & Images Courtesy of Leonard Wong

网站:
leonardwong.jp
ayabambi.net

Instagram:
@leonardwong_official
@ayasato_official

Vimeo: ~/leonardwong

 

供稿人: Ye Zi
视频与图片由Leonard Wong提供

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Xooang Choi on the Human Anatomy

April 20, 2017 2017年4月20日

Surreal and hyper-realistic, these seemingly contradictory traits have become the signature aesthetic of Xooang Choi‘s sculptures.His approach of incorporating anatomically correct human features, crafted with excruciating attention to detail, makes for an in-person viewing of his works a nightmarish experience. From the head of a Great Dane sewn onto the neck of a life-sized male to a pair of wings formed by disembodied hands, the South Korean artist seems to know no bounds in deforming and contorting familiar human bodies and body parts into deeply disturbing works of art. But through invoking discomfort, Choi’s goal is to draw attention to important societal issues such as human rights, discrimination, and isolation. Scroll down and see more of Choi’s haunting sculptures below.

看似矛盾的虚幻与现实相结合，成为了韩国艺术家Xooang Choi的雕塑作品的标志性超现实主义风格。他所精雕细琢的人像拥有符合现实比例的身体，与梦魇般的元素相结合后,每一件雕塑作品更具震撼力。大丹犬的头像被缝接在真人大小的人类身体上，无数的手臂堆叠成一双翅膀——他在作品中无所顾忌地扭曲、变形人们所熟悉的人体和身体部位, 最终呈现出令人不安的作品。这些雕塑看上去可能令人不安，但Xooang Choi的真正意图是引起人们对人权、歧视和孤立等重要社会问题的关注。接下来，再来欣赏他其它的一些雕塑作品吧。

Facebook: ~/xooang.choi
Instagram: ~/xooang

 

Contributor: David Yen
Images Courtesy of Xooang Choi

脸书: ~/xooang.choi
Instagram: ~/xooang

 

供稿人: David Yen
图片由Xooang Choi提供

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When Pigs Fly

April 18, 2017 2017年4月18日

 

无法观看？前往优酷

For many people, the mere mention of Hong Kong conjures images of harboursides, modern skyscrapers, a smorgasbord of culinary delights and a true retail mecca. But if you look closer, the vintage stores and dated architecture of the city are very much interconnected to this port city’s identity and history. As Hong Kong develops, many of these older stores are disappearing. Fortunately, illustrator Flyingpig is determined to preserve the memories and stories of these disappearing shops.

提到香港，也许多数人的印象是现代化的玻璃大厦，多国美食和购物中心。可是，这座开埠多年的城市，只要细心去发掘，会发现许多老店和旧建筑与这城的关係密不可分，却渐渐在发展中消失。插画师飞天猪，希望用笔触画下香港各式旧区老店，记下充满人情味的故事。

Despite studying animation in college, Flyingpig is an avid illustrator. After graduating, she worked in film post-production before transitioning towards digital illustration. Amongst balancing her work life and illustrating in her spare time, she found herself questioning her current career path. Sundays became the only day when she could unwind and take the time to sketch. As her sketches accumulated and continuously received positive feedback online, Flyingpig began to understand that drawing didn’t mean working alone. “I realized that my work could send a message,” she says. “I never considered that I could make a living off illustrating alone.” She soon quit her job and plunged head first into illustration.

喜欢绘画的飞天猪，大学时修读动画，毕业后从事电影后製，及后任职电脑绘图，工作所学什多，然而每天辛劳过后，她发现一切并非自己所渴望，倒是能够休息的星期天，在城市中写生的时刻，她才感到是属于自己的空间。随着写生数量渐多，放在网上所得的迴响，飞天猪发现写生不再是她一个人的事情「原来我的画作可以传达信息。以往从没想过可以靠画画维生。」于是决定辞去全职工作，专心投入画画的世界，做自己喜欢的事。

On canvas, the colorful portrayals of vintage stores are beautifully and purposefully executed. But, beyond the canvas, Flyingpig finds her interactions with these store owners to be infinitely more meaningful and important. She enjoys learning the history and stories behind these stores, building a connecting between herself and the community. “There was a time when I went to draw the shopfronts in Sheung Wan. As I sat by the roadside, the shopkeeper offered me a leather suitcase to rest my drawing pad on. He began to tell me about the little things that he had around his shop. It made me realise that amongst these spaces, there were so many stories that were just waiting to told.”

画框之内是吸引眼球、色彩斑斓的旧区小店，然而，画框之外与店主的交流，暸解小店背后的故事，接触社区，对飞天猪来说才是最重要，也衍生一份使命感驱使她不断创作「我到上环的朱荣记画画，当时坐在马路边，老板好心给我纸皮箱垫袋子，还分享小店每件货品和子承父业的故事。从那时便意识到每间小店可以有属于自己的绘本，我想为它们记下各自的故事。」

Looking at Flyingpig’s debut illustration book, Lao Dian Feng Qing Hua (which translates into vintage shop illustrations), her love of watercolors is ever present. Not only is this a casual, effortless medium, but she can allow her personality to flow through each brushstroke. These watercolor illustrations carry a laidback and mellow vibe, combined with the warmth of quaint Hong Kong shops.  “City folks are always in a rush, people are growing further apart and don’t have a sense of community. Meanwhile, these beautiful details of life remain overlooked and are slowly disappearing. What I hope for when people view my work, is that it’ll make them want to support these small local shops rather franchised retail stores.”

飞天猪出版的首本着作《老店风情画》，从书中画作可见，她爱以水彩绘画，认为其流畅轻快的特点，与自己放胆去画的个性相近。加上水彩看来轻鬆，配合画中的主题，能够传递出小店的温暖。「城市人来去匆匆，不去关注生活的社区，人与人的关係会变得冷漠，逐渐失去生活中可以珍惜的细节。我希望画作令人看后，会想起买一枝樽装水，可以去街角的士多，而非连锁式的超级市场。」

As the city advances and develops, these old shops are silently fading into the background. Despite having a mellow, paced approach to creation since childhood, Flyingpig is now painting with haste and vigor in order to capture these disappearing scenes. Aside from drawing on paper, she has begun to release 360 degree videos. By using AR technology to enhance her drawings, she can immerse viewers into the very thick Hong Kong’s bustling shophouses. Throughout the interview, Flyingpig stressed that “every drawing must have a story” and she remains dedicated to bringing these stories to life through her art.

城市快速的更替，旧区的小店逐渐无声被淘汰。从小喜欢安静在一角画画的飞天猪，却愈画愈起劲，似要追赶发展的步速，在小店消失前继续画下去。她的画作除了以平面展现在画纸上，也推出以360度影片让人观赏。未来她想尝试以AR技术，让人亲自走入社区，在手机上重现她画下，却在现实消失的建筑。无论以何种方式呈现作品，毕竟画面上的温度，都是来自背后承载着的历史和故事，如飞天猪在访谈中多次强调，「故事是每幅画必须的！」

无法观看？前往优酷

无法观看？前往优酷

Website: flyingpig.work
Instagram: @flyingpigwong
Facebook: ~/flyingppig.art

 

Contributor: Yabee Wong
Additional Images and Video Courtesy of Flyingpig

Website: flyingpig.work
Instagram: @flyingpigwong
Facebook: ~/flyingppig.art

 

供稿人: Yabee Wong
附加图片与视频由Flyingpig提供

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Astronomy as Fashion

April 17, 2017 2017年4月17日

The origin of Hong Kong jewelry brand Mush can be traced back four years, to a handmade leather-bound notebook. At the time, Julian Fung simply wanted to make something with her own two hands as a present for her partner Yvonne Fung. Little did the two know it at the time, this handcrafted token of love would lead them to launch Mush, a brand that’s now best known for their astronomical instrument-inspired accessories.

四年多前，Mush的出现，不过源于主理人Julian Fung想亲手制作皮革本子给另一半──Yvonne Fung，Mush 另一主理人。她们大概没想到，沉迷在随心创作的自我世界，会如宇宙大爆炸一样，爆发出现下多个不同型态的天体运行器。

Neither Julian nor Yvonne come from artistic backgrounds. Their penchant for handmade items stems from personal habits. Yvonne used to enjoy fashioning little toys with cardboard as a child, and Julian has long enjoyed gifting close friends with handmade items. As people took notice and expressed interest in her trinkets, the idea to launch Mush began to form. “Mush is very personal. It comes from what we love. At times, we’ll customize items for customers, but what some clients might like, such as specific ways of matching pink and purple gemstones, might not necessarily be to our taste. These types of creations are far and few.”

Julian与Yvonne二人皆非美术设计工科毕业，对手作的喜好，纯綷是Julian一直喜欢用双手制作小礼物赠给身边人。 Yvonne则自小喜欢在宽阔的家中，用纸皮做玩具给自己玩。手作需用时光雕琢，一切皆由自身出发，即使后来获得别人欣赏成为品牌而出售产品，Mush背后的理念也离不开Yvonne所说“Mush是很个人，从自己喜欢的出发。即使有时会因应客人订制而造，但一些客人喜欢的，如紫色和粉红的天然石配搭，我们自身不喜欢也少做。”

Mush didn’t initially create astronomical accessories. This change was the result of Julian’s own interests and aesthetic preferences: the dazzling splendor of gold, the nostalgic qualities of vintage furnishings, and the fantasy world of Harry Potter all played a part in inspiring the creation of this collection. In the Harry Potter movies, the gigantic armillary sphere of the Hogwarts Astronomy Tower possessed all of the aforementioned qualities. The moving rings were an additional element that Julian fell in love. But turning these complex, dynamic apparatuses into intricate accessories with her own two hands was a challenging prospect, one that became motivation to her. To this day, her drive to create has yet to diminish. “Every single time I complete a new piece of work, I don’t feel complacent. I’ll want to begin on the next thing, one that’s even more complex and challenging. My satisfaction comes from the creation process. Even if nobody buys our work, I would still want to keep creating. Each new creation will be added to our My Astronomy Tower collection.”

Mush演变至天文仪器的饰品制作，全因Julian钟爱富有炫目金色，同时充满陈旧味道和质感的摆设。加上她是电影哈利波特的影迷，戏中天文仪器的摆设皆具备前述的特点，更拥有复杂和多种动态的结构，因此，这种天文仪器深深迷惑Julian。对喜欢手作的Julian而言，能用自己双手成功制作这种精密结构的装饰品，充满挑战性，心底也极大满足，致使她一步一步沉迷在无边的装饰仪器中，几年来从没嫌闷“每当完成一个作品， 便不会想原地踏步，只想继续造更复杂的仪器。我满足于制造的过程，即使没有人会买，也希望创作愈来愈多，这些作品都是《My Astronomy Tower》 。（这个系列来自哈利波特中，一个怖满天体仪器的建筑物）”

Due to the handmade nature of their creations, each accessory is only available in limited supply. And because of sizing requirements, the brass material they use can’t be ordered in bulk from manufacturers. The two found a way around this by making their own. Even without professional metalworking knowledge, they were eager to experiment. Through trial and error, they eventually began making accessories that fell in line with their vision. “We aren’t trying to accurately depict actual celestial movements. We’re trying to create our own universes. In a way, each time we make something new, it feels as if we’re creating a parallel universe.”

由于手工作品只能少量制作，黄铜的配件原料尺寸没法向厂家大量订造，可是，二人没有受物料所限，同时，即使没有专业金工技术的知识，边尝试失败边学习，用自己的方法绕了一大个圈才有成品，也没阻碍她们创造心中的天体运行 “我们不是要复制天上星体的运行，而是创造属于自己的天体运行，这是我们一个又一个幻想出来的平行宇宙。”

Website: mush.hk
Instagram: @m_u_s_h
Facebook: ~/mushxmush

 

Contributor & Photographer: Yabee Wong
Additional Images Courtesy of Mush

网站: mush.hk
Instagram: @m_u_s_h
脸书: ~/mushxmush

 

供稿人与摄影师: Yabee Wong
附加图片由Mush提供

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Back to the Futuro

April 13, 2017 2017年4月13日

 

无法观看？前往优酷

This is what an abortive dream looks like: barren, bleak, ghostly and surreal. Like the shattered tapestries of glass that hang from many of the window frames, these derelict prefabricated homes are full of wasted potential and squandered hope. But while these desolate structures may seem nightmarish, their science fiction aesthetics reflect the utopian imaginings of a postmodern bygone era.

这就是梦想流产后的样子。贫瘠、荒凉、幽灵般，充满超现实主义。这些被废弃的预制装配式房屋，如同悬挂在窗框上破碎了的玻璃，代表着被浪费掉的潜能和破灭了的希望。残破的建筑看起来有点可怕，却又呈现出一种科幻小说般的美学风格，反映出后现代主义曾经的乌托邦式幻想。

These, in particular, were formerly vacation houses in a once-operational Taiwanese seaside holiday resort. Now, however, they look more like a last resort for degenerative zombies. The unusual idiosyncratic pods lie silently in motionless limbo on a bay overlooking the waters of the East China Sea, and the subtropical location seems to have played a key part in their demise. Although they are beset with rotted aspirations, they were conceptualized during a flourishing period of optimism – the 60’s and 70’s.

图片中这些废弃建筑曾是台湾一处海滨度假村的房子。然而，现在这些房子看起来更像是僵尸最后的乐园。设计别致的豆荚形建筑，面朝中国东海，默默地矗立在海湾边上。亚热带的地理位置似乎是它们被废弃的关键原因。虽然这些建筑现在只剩下各种破灭了的愿望，但对它们最初的构想和设计却发生在充满乐观精神的1960 和1970 年代。

Born in post-war Finland, the oval-shaped structures were a product of a booming experimental era when new trends and lifestyle perspectives were emerging like never before. Spurred on by a renewed faith in technology, unprecedented economic growth and an increase in leisure time, the Finnish architect Matti Suuronen conceived them as versatile housing units. They were made to adaptably serve many functions and designed to be easily transported, assembled and taken down as required.

这些椭圆形建筑首次出现在战后的芬兰，那是一个充满实验精神的时代，新的潮流、新的生活方式和观点以前所未有的速度纷纷涌现。人们对科技重拾信心，经济获得前所未有的增长，人们也有了越来越多的度假时间，在这种情况下，芬兰建筑师 Matti Suuronen构思了一系列多用途的度假房屋。独特的设计，使这些建筑能够灵活适应不同的用途，易于运输、组装和拆除。

Suuronen built the first prototype in 1968 and named it Futuro. Grounded in mathematical theory, the spheroid structures feature an ellipsoid fiberglass and reinforced plastic shell, with oval-shaped windows, door handles, light fittings and even elliptic-shaped power sockets. He also designed some box-shaped Venturo houses that followed the same prefabricated concept.

1968 年，Matti Suuronen建成第一个原型，并命名为“Futuro”（未来）。这些椭圆形建筑基于数学理论建造，外壳使用玻璃纤维和增强塑料制成，并配有椭圆形的窗户、门把手、灯饰配件，甚至连电源插座都是椭圆形的。Matti Suuronen还根据同样的预制概念，设计了一些箱形“Venturo”房屋。

The unique UFO form of the Futuro houses fascinated many and they were to be licensed and mass-produced in 50 countries. They were a popular hit with the growing leisure class who could also adapt the modular structures to be ski cabins, bungalows, hunting and fishing lodges, gas stations, and more. However, only 100 made it through production as an oil crisis struck in the beginning of the 70’s, which culminated in petroleum shortages and elevated prices around the world. The oil shock made the plastics for these pod structures more expensive and Suuronen’s space-age vision of the future died before it had begun.

Futuro飞碟式的独特形状吸引了很多人的注意，并申请了许可，准备在 50 个国家进行批量生产。越来越多的有闲阶级（leisure class，指拥有资产，生活以社交娱乐为主的阶级）喜欢上这种建筑，他们将这些模块化建筑用作滑雪小屋、度假小屋、狩猎和捕鱼旅馆、加油站等等。然而，最终只有 100 幢“Futuro”房屋得以被建造，1970 年代爆发的石油危机导致石油短缺，令世界各地的油价急剧上升。石油危机导致豆荚形建筑所需的塑料原材价格上涨，Suuronen对太空时代的未来愿景还没开始就已经夭折。

Over on the other side of the world, a few years later, an entrepreneurial Taiwanese businessman had audacious ambitions to use some of the same prefabricated pods to develop a seaside resort on the edge of the island. He had made his money with the popular soda Sarsaparilla and wanted to create a coastal holiday spot for the rich in Taiwan. However, although the pods were set up and inhabited for a short period of time, the fate of the flying saucer homes again ended in tragedy. The project was abandoned when the extreme weather and lack of interest scared off investors.

而几年后，在世界的另一边，一名拥有冒险精神的台湾企业家，利用相同的预制式豆荚形建筑，在台湾海边建造了一个海滨度假村。这名企业家靠生产黑松沙士饮料积累了财富后，想要为台湾的富人打造一个沿海度假村。虽然，这些豆荚形建筑被成功建造出来，并有人居住了一段时间，但这种飞碟式建筑的命运再一次以悲剧收场。极端的天气，加上人们对它们缺乏兴趣，投资者撤资，导致项目被废弃。

Standing shoulder to shoulder in dereliction, the solitary structures have now been left to rot on their seaside plot in Taiwan. Although this cluster of pods is one of the few remaining examples of this type of modernist modular architecture, it looks like they have been condemned to decay for good. Neglected by the world, the moldering units are destined for oblivion, like discarded irreparable spaceships on an apocalyptic alien crash site.

如今，这些建筑孤独地矗立在台湾的海边，继续腐烂下去。这些豆荚形建筑是现存不多的现代主义模块化建筑，现在却像被诅咒了一样，只能自生自灭地腐烂下去。这些残破的建筑已经被世界所忽略掉，注定要被人们遗忘，就像无法维修的宇宙飞船，被遗弃在一个外星飞船坠机地。

Ravaged by time, the atrophied abandonment is just about all that is left of this futuristic vision of housing. Although Norwegian artist Lars Ramberg has described these prefabricated homes as “ageing carcasses of failed modernism,” these structural skeletons appear to prove him wrong, as they have given rise to a subculture of aficionados and appear contemporary even by today’s standards. Perhaps these surreal UFO units were just ahead of their time, and time alone will tell what’s to become of these postmodern ruins.

随着时间流逝，这些未来主义建筑沦为废墟。挪威艺术家Lars Ramberg称这些预制式房屋是失败了的现代主义“残骸”。然而，事实却绝非如此。这些建筑“残骸”吸引了一批亚文化爱好者，即使以今天的眼光来看，它们也丝毫不失现代风格。也许这些超现实主义的飞碟式建筑只是超前了时代，只有时间会知道这些被废弃的后现代主义建筑最终的结局。

Videographer, Photographer & Contributor: Ghost

供稿人，图片摄影师与视频摄影师: Ghost

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