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Crafting Design Minds THE MAGAZINE OF THE HONG KONG DESIGN INSTITUTE ISSUE TEN 2014 CRAFTING OUTSIDE THE FRAME DESIGN THE FINE ART OF MINDS PHOTOGRAPHY INSPIRING WORK BY SIGN OF SWISS STUDENTS THE TIMES JAPANESE POSTER ART ISSUE TEN 2014 | SIGN EXPLORED2 ISSUE TEN used by writers and artists when their work gives them pleasure or wins accolades. The great Italian poet Dante described pride as a “spark” that’s capable of “setting fire to the hearts of men” and there’s no doubt that “taking pride in one’s work” is a key aspect of good and passionate craftsmanship. If we take a step back from the word’s modern usage it is possible to see why “pride” is so appropriate for the design process and as the theme for this tenth edition of SIGNED magazine. The origins of the word can be found in 11th century Old French when its root was rendered as “prud”, and meant “brave, valiant” with the phrase “prud’homme” meaning “brave man”. The noble knights of England adopted the word and, over time, the serfs and poor farmers whom they ruled and oppressed began to detest the term. The English downtrodden divorced pride from its roots in bravery and gave it the negative connotation of arrogance. In its original form, the word “pride” is perfectly suited to the design process, especially as it is allied with the Latin “prodesse” (be useful). In this linguistic setting, “pride” perfectly describes how a creative craftsman or A designer without pride is like a yacht artist must have the courage to break boundaries in order to make without sails, but one infused with pride is a something unique, beautiful and functional. Read in this way, all capricious vessel that could veer onto rocks of the designers featured in this edition of SIGNED are men and at any minute. Such is the nature of pride, an women of pride, who are justly proud of what they have achieved, ambiguous concept with a chequered history. having had the courage to step outside convention. The young A noun form of the adjective “proud”, the designers from Switzerland featured in “Mothers of Invention” word “pride” is like a troubled celebrity. It has have all made brave decisions in creating work that stands out, great qualities, but still manages to mess up. as have the photographers featured in “Outside the Frame” and In religion, pride is frequently condemned as a “Eternal Evolution”. In “Brave New Media” and “Sign of the source of arrogance and sin. The sophisticated Times” creatives working with very different tools show how the Confucian philosopher Xunzi, who lived 2300 valiant use of innovation can produce forms of communication years ago said that “pride brings disaster to that are strikingly memorable. As a creative community we should man” and he married the word to “excess” as take pride in what we do, and be brave in using skills that the if the two were opposite sides of the same world needs in order to be a more inspiring and sustainable place. coin. And yet the word “pride” is common And for those designers who fear that success will trap them upon in the design community and designers use the slippery slopes of ego and arrogance, there is a simple rule – it frequently to describe their emotions and take pride, but do not let pride take you. sense of self-worth, especially after reaching a milestone in their careers. It’s a word that’s also DANIEL JEFFREYS PAULO COELHO Editor-In-Chief 02 SIGN | ISSUE TEN 2014 ISSUE TEN 2014 | SIGN 03 6 4 1 1 0 6 8 9 7 1 1 1 0 2 3 5 4 6 1 7 8 9 0 02 03 0 05 0 07 08 09 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 2 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 3 3 32 33 34 35 3 3 3 3 40 4 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 5 52 06 EVENT 10 FEATURE HAPPY RETURNS OUTSIDE THE FRAME Sweden and The fine art of BODW reprise their photography partnership 16 FEATURE 20 FEATURE 24 FEATURE BRAVE NEW MEDIA MOTHERS OF ETERNAL EVOLUTION Transforming Photography’s journey communication INVENTION The “Every Product Tells in Hong Kong and the through technology a Story” exhibition is a Mainland window on creativity 30 EDITORIAL 34 EVENT 38 EVENT TAKING CHARGE SIGN OF THE MAGIC CARPETS Chan Koonchung on Spreading upcycling’s vocational training TIMES message and the future of Japanese poster art work explored 44 EVENT 48FEATURE THE CRAFTING OF CARING FOR DESIGN MINDS CREATIVITY Inspiring work by Luxury retailer Joyce students at ECAL/ collaborates with HKDI University of Art and alumni Design Lausanne THE MAGAZINE OF THE HONG KONG DESIGN INSTITUTE The Hong Kong Design Institute is a member institution of the Vocational Training EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DANIEL JEFFREYS MANAGING EDITOR SUMMER CAO CREATIVE DIRECTION SYMBOLICA Council. For more information about HKDI, please check our website on ISSUE TEN 2014 EDITORIAL BOARD LESLIE LU • CECILE KUNG • TERENCE WONG • TSE MING CHONG • COVER IMAGE www.hkdi.edu.hk, or email us at [email protected] GRAFT, A SET OF CUTLERY LIZ MCLAFFERTY • DANIEL CHAN • WONG PAK KAY • NIKI SHEK • ANNIE LAM DESIGNED BY ECAL/ Signed is produced on behalf of the Hong Kong Design Institute by deluxewords, EDITORS LIBBY ZENG • AMANDA SHUAI CONTRIBUTOR RIK GLAUERT a subsidiary of Deluxe Holdings Limited, Winning Centre, 46-48 Wyndham Street, CRAFTING OUTSIDE UNIVERSITY OF ART AND THE FRAME DESIGN THE FINE ART OF PUBLISHER DELUXEWORDS MINDS PHOTOGRAPHY INSPIRING WORK BY SIGN OF Hong Kong. Advertising sales enquiries to +852 2868 0671. Printed in Hong Kong SWISS STUDENTS DESIGN LAUSANNE STUDENT THE TIMES JAPANESE POSTER ART ISSUE TEN 2014 | SIGN EXPLORED2 QIYUN DENG by Hang Sing Printing. Origination by deluxewords. 04 SIGN | ISSUE TEN 2014 ISSUE TEN 2014 | SIGN 05 EVENT RETURNS ABOVE URBANEARS-ZINKEN HEADPHONES ABOVE RENDERING Swedish design is discernable by programme in Asia,” says Elaine OF A VERTICAL its utilitarian simplicity – it boasts Chow, director of Programme of URBAN FARM BY a serenely stylish functionality. BoDW 2014. PLANTAGON At this year’s Business of Design “Culture, in a broader sense, is The history of Swedish design is replete hen confronted with one of life’s daily Week (BoDW) the brains behind the DNA of their everyday life,” obstacles a sensible Swedish solution these big Swedish brands will says Chow who believes that with world-beating innovations, which is never far away: IKEA products share their knowledge with the Swedish designers are born solution makes this year’s Business of Design can transform a bare apartment into design community of Hong providers and that innovation is a stylish home without breaking the Kong, immersing the city in new their tool to tackle challenges and Week especially attractive. With Sweden bank, quality fast fashion is at your insights and perspectives from one explore new possibilities. as its partner country, the event is fingertips with the High Street brand of the most innovative countries To celebrate the tenth anniversary H&M; Electrolux produce anything in the world. of the bilateral design partnership, guaranteed to bring some of the you could ever want for your kitchen “Since its inception in 2002, BoDW has asked Sweden to return world’s mostW fascinating designers to and Candy Crush Saga is always at BoDW is the platform for for the weeklong annual design hand for whiling away idle minutes knowledge exchanges and it is set conference. “We are honoured to have AMANDA SHUAI FROM BoDW IMAGES Hong Kong. reports. with blissful gaming. to be the leading annual design Sweden return as our partner country 06 SIGN | ISSUE TEN 2014 ISSUE TEN 2014 | SIGN 07 EVENT WE ARE HONOURED TO HAVE SWEDEN RETURN AS OUR PARTNER COUNTRY AGAIN FOR BODW 2014 AFTER THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE 10 the availability of mass-production, mentality engrained in Swedish YEARS AGO designers created beautiful products culture, designers seamlessly thread ELAINE CHOW that people needed. Pressed wood sustainability throughout their and steel, glass and plastics are the creations – organic cotton in H&M’s language in which Swedish Design apparel and IKEA’s commitment to is still written. source 50% percent of its wood from practitioners,” says Chow. “With Featuring the striking yellow and sustainable sources by 2017 are just these prominent Swedish business blue of the nation’s flag, the bold two examples. leaders, designers and innovators lettering of IKEA is a prominent By bringing the essence and available to exchange insights we signpost to Swedish design in Hong the best of Swedish design to the TOP SCANIA R-SERIES TRUCK again for BoDW 2014 after their first can resolve the challenges ahead Kong. IKEA brings functional region’s design community, the ABOVE CLOCK appearance 10 years ago,” says Chow. and create business opportunities by vibrancy to the compact homes of 2014 edition of BoDW serves to CABINET FROM IKEA From December 1 to 6 design leveraging the latest creative ideas Hong Kong residents. With fluid emphasise how the week long design PS-COLLECTION OPPOSITE RESTAURANT minds will gather together under and innovations.” lines and intriguing shapes the festival has become a valuable source AND BAR CUCKOO’S the leitmotif “Living Design: Live Swedish design owes a lot to the simple designs that optimise space of inspiration for Asian designers, NEST DESIGNED BY It, Work It, Wear It, Do It”. BoDW Scandinavian style (often referred are a supreme match for the city’s adding value to their products as well STYLT TRAMPOLI has invited more than 20 Swedish to as democratic design) that limitations and the local aesthetic.
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