Sanlitun, is one of the best known and most popular bar street in Beijing. Adjacent to 79 foreign embassies and 7 foreign organizations in China, it is fashionable with expat community, foreign travelers and younger locals, despite several threats of closure.
Sanlitun Village, a new retail property by Hong Kong’s leading property developer, Swire Properties, was opened this summer with so much eyeball attraction by bringing the adidas global flagship store, first apple retail store in China and some other big bands such as Fossil, Nautica, Quiksilver, Steve Madden and Timberland. This winter, Sanlitun Village is presenting a fantastic experience of Christmas to Beijing with creation and arts.
A series of Peekaboo Angel Baby sculptures designed by contemporary designer and illustrator Dorophy Tang are exhibited among the stores in the south village. The babies are apparently oriental babies, but with a pair of symbolic wings of western angel. It is painted in blue flowers as the traditional Chinese blue-white porcelain. Moreover, some mud spotted on the baby makes it even ancient like unearthed cultural relics. As Dorophy said, the baby blends two different cultures with a real visual impact. Her works are based on some traditional Chinese elements, namely Chinese propaganda culture, New Year prints and traditional Chinese blue-white porcelain.
Dorophy Tang was born in Hong Kong, and graduated from department of design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her raw creative talent was initially discovered by her mother, then she was encouraged to attend local art classes. She still has a strong memory of completing her first self-portrait aged just eight years old.
In 2008, she first came to Beijing with 70 little adidas babies, till now, not only adidas, Camera company Lomo and Japanese toy company Medicom both gave Tang free reign to redesign established products for them.
As for the shining point in the Christmas time of sanlitun village, it is an exhibition of the “green” Christmas tree design competition, joint hosted by the village, milk magazine and environmental organization The Green Long March.
The design uses empty wine bottles and corks to make the Christmas tree and second second-hand bike is attached to a generator which, when cycled, powers the Christmas lights. The visual effect and “green” electricity make this design an interesting and interactive Christmas tree.
The unique and creative design comes from He Linkan, a fourth-year student from the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University, and winner of this green Christmas tree design competition. What’s more, I happened to recognize that he is one of my friends when I skim over the sanlitun guide with my friends at a nearby café and see his portrait. Isn’t it a small world?
I sent him a SMS congratulation that night and expressed my idea of a further talk with him someday. He replied with his invariable Japanese style politeness and just wondered how I found it was him, who designs that tree since there is no caption beside.
Wish the incoming graduate a prosperous future.
No comments:
Post a Comment