ASIA WEEK 2018: A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ART EXHIBITION

#AsiaWeekAtDCCH @designcentrech

Asia Week at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour was a multi-dimensional exhibition in association with Asian Art in London, that celebrated the influence, culture and creativity of Asia.

ASIAN ART

Featuring seven galleries showcasing the work of artists from China, Korea, Japan, The Philippines and Nepal, the unique selling exhibition included contemporary work in a variety of disciplines – from mixed media, woodblock printing, painting and lithographs to glasswork, ceramics and stoneware – that merged tradition and modernity, craft and fine art. Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour’s famous architecture provided a dazzling space for an impressive rollcall of emerging and established names. These included:

Kamal Bahkshi

Represented work by Japanese artists. These included those by the grande dame of Japanese printmaking Toko Shinoda; painter, printmaker and multi-media artist Daniel Kelly (his work can be found in permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum) and renowned printmakers Morimura Rei and Yoshitoshi Mori who specialized in ‘kappazuri’ stencil prints.

ArtChina 

Represented Chinese printmakers and contemporary artists and ceramicists that combined traditional techniques with a modern aesthetic. They included woodblock prints by Wang Chao, screenprints by emerging artist, actor and producer Kelly Mi and lithographic prints by Wei Jia, a representative of artists born in the 1970s.

 The Han Collection

From Korea, these ceramic pieces echoed Korean ceramicists’ ideals of simplicity and purity, both in new and ancient designs. These included those by pottery painter Oh Man-Chu and the famous ‘moon vase’ by Shin Gyung Kyun.

 Singapore Art Garret Gallery (SAGG)

These South East Asian artists included Singaporean watercolourists Ng Woon Lam and Don Low, renowned glass sculptor Ramon Orlina from The Philippines and Indonesian painters Indra Dodi and Hari Gita.

The October Gallery 

Showcased contemporary work by Nepalese artist Govinda Sah, Chinese artist Tian Wei and celebrated Japanese artist Kenji Yoshida. 

Genrokuart 

Explored female beauty and the history of pre-modern Japan with work by Katsutoshi Toya 

Hugentobler Collection of Modern Vietnamese Art

Previously unseen in the UK, visitors could also view this collection featuring paintings and drawings by two Vietnamese modernist masters, Bùi Xuân Phái and Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm. They belonged to a private collector who discovered Hanoi’s hidden art scene when he traveled to Vietnam in the early 1990s as the country was opening up.

NIO EP9

The inclusion of the NIO EP9 supercar quickened the pulse of design lovers and automotive collectors alike. Three acclaimed designers – Nicola Bianchi of David Collins Studio, Federica Barbon of Studio Indigo and Rabih Hage of Rabih Hage Studio – took part in a much anticipated, highly imaginative session that involved conjuring up the ultimate bespoke schemes for its interior and exterior. The session was moderated by Communications Consultant and TV Broadcaster Diana Binks.

THE PROGRAMME

Generating a deeper understanding of the crossover between East and West was at the heart of the events programme, from workshops, demonstrations, masterclasses and discovery tours. The programme is available to view on your Iphone, Android or Tablet. To download please CLICK HERE

To download the press release please CLICK HERE

ASIA THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS – WINDOW DISPLAYS

More than 25 showrooms took part in a visual merchandising competition that saw windows and showcases transformed for Asia Week. After much deliberation, the winner – judged by Jackie Daly, assistant editor of FT How To Spend It – was Altfield for its fusion of antiques, colour and pattern that celebrated the Asian aesthetic within a bold, modern vision. ‘It’s not only a stop-you-in-your tracks window display but a space I would actually like to live in,’ commented Jackie.

Highly commended was Jim Thompson for its enchanting scene using silk parasols. ‘It brings to mind a Japanese painting, and a form of art synthesising history and tradition with new and imported ideas. It’s a delightful marriage of influences – but, more importantly, raises a smile,’ she said. To see all entries, visit Instagram stories and follow #AsiaWeekAtDCCH @designcentrech