Latest news with #folkart
Vogue
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
How One Artist Is Transforming an Ancient Taiwanese Folk Craft
Alemani first encountered Zhang Xu's work last year while on an art-prize jury and was struck by his craftsmanship and detail. 'It seems quite simple, but it's actually incredibly sophisticated in the making,' she tells Vogue. 'What I loved was this balance between an almost fairy-tale atmosphere and something quite ritualistic and traditional that belongs very much to his family and country.' She found it a perfect match with MOIFA: 'There is something about folk art that feels very popular in a good way, in a way that is not too detached. I wanted that to translate in this installation—something that could be approached by kids and the usual visitors but also by contemporary-art-world people. Contemporary art can create new ways of seeing the amazing collection already there.' The boundaries between folk and contemporary art have long been fluid, from 1940s Art Brut; to feminist and conceptual artists reclaiming craft, ritual, and domestic traditions in the '60s and '70s; to the present, when museums and art fairs have fully embraced folk-informed contemporary practices. Today artists from Ai Weiwei and Nick Cave to El Anatsui, Kimsooja, and Jeffrey Gibson have drawn from or engaged with folk-art traditions. For Zhang Xu, however, 'Taiwanese ceremonial crafts were never considered art in my childhood—it was part of survival.' He admits to at times longing to escape the practice—though he's found freedom creating from his vision instead of fulfilling customer requests. Artist Zhang Xu Zhan as a child with his father and sister at their family's Taipei workshop Photos: Courtesy of the artist A large paper house and other effigies hang from the ceiling in Zhang Xu's family's kitchen. Funeral items are commonly prepared in advance so they can be sold the moment a client needs them. Photos: Courtesy of the artist 'What makes my relationship to these materials unique,' he observes, 'is that I don't treat them as fixed cultural symbols. They've been a part of my life for so long that I interact with them intuitively. I'm not looking at them from a distance but from lived experience.' For example, in Taiwan paper puppets are often displayed standing reverently at funerals. But in his home, where for storage they were tucked away in every available corner, 'they would often hang from the ceiling waiting to be sold, almost like bats. These everyday memories help me avoid cliché readings of tradition and instead find new ways of interpreting them.' Zhang Xu says that his father, who still works the family trade, doesn't quite understand his son's career—he criticizes his animals as not being realistic enough—but has heard friends mention his accolades. The artist has had several solo shows in Asia and participated in group exhibitions and film festivals there and in Europe; the High Line in New York screened his films earlier this year. He's also at work on a new film about water lanterns in different Asian traditions, from India to Vietnam, China, and Japan.
CNA
21-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Young Hong Kong residents apply modern touches to preserve traditional crafts, attract new crowds
HONG KONG: A new generation of Hong Kong residents is giving traditional crafts a modern revival, using technology and creative applications to ensure age-old practices continue to thrive beyond the legacy of old master artisans. Among them is 32-year-old architect Nick Tsao, who is reviving the folk art of paper cutting by fusing it with his design know-how. 'Paper cutting is a folk art … it is something that you're supposed to learn at home, through your mother or through a grandmother. Unfortunately, they didn't pass down this skill to me,' he added. Instead, he turned to the skills he honed while studying architecture. 'I was building models … and cutting a lot of paper and card … then building things in 3D and mostly hand cutting with a penknife,' he added. Tsao began his paper-cutting venture after he wanted more unique Chinese New Year zodiac animal decorations, leading him to expand the use of his paper cutting techniques. He started producing and selling the zodiac paper cutting crafts publicly four years back. A year ago, he left his corporate job to pursue it full time. Tsao is currently working with international brands such as Dior and apparel retailer Lululemon, moving beyond paper products but also conducting workshops for their clients. 'Outside of Chinese New Year, I would collaborate with luxury brands, clothing stores, to help them design workshops that their VIP guests can come and experience rather than just giving out gifts.' Even though he was not trained through traditional lineage, Tsao believes his work keeps the spirit of the craft alive. 'I try to embody parts of the traditional crafts by bringing it into new media, by adding contemporary philosophies, design concepts into a fading industry,' he said. Through his work, Tsao said he also hopes people will recognise that 'paper cutting as a traditional craft is very strong in Chinese culture, but also in many other cultures". He noted that it is like taking something that is very cheap and very easy to access, like paper, and creating art that is not specific to a certain location. Tsao added that anyone can incorporate these ideas and create something new. As a young creative entrepreneur, Tsao said he does not shy away from using technology. 'I like incorporating the use of machines … design software because of my architecture background. I think people feel like AI is a type of threat to art making, but you could choose to do things," he added. "You can either stick to very traditional means and make everything like it was years ago or you can start to learn more about these technologies and see how they can help you.' DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND REVIVAL Experts said that for traditional crafts to survive, they must be relevant in today's world. Professor Henry Duh, associate dean of global and industry engagement at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's (PolyU) School of Design, stressed the importance of adapting to societal changes. 'We can still use the traditional way to preserve cultural heritage … but it's slow and a bit harder to trigger (the) young generation's interest ... That's why I think digital technology will be able to promote (and) trigger their interest,' he added. PolyU has received funding this year to revitalise the city's traditional arts and promote digital transformation of its culture industry. It is the first tertiary institution in the city to receive funding from the China National Arts Fund. The fund, which opened to applicants in Hong Kong and Macau in 2021, promotes development of arts and culture by supporting local artistic talents. PhD students at PolyU have managed to capture a porcelain paint master's techniques using generative AI. Duh said: 'One of the masters (thought of) new technology to quickly trigger the kids' attention and interest … and reduce the process into simple, interesting steps.' He noted that using a 3D space to replicate the process allowed apprentices or younger people to observe the workflow from different angles, compared to video. With fewer master artisans, technology has become more important in the preservation process. "Some masters … may not be able to describe the process precisely or using terminology (that the) younger generation can understand. Using digital technology or virtual reality to visualise the process … will be easier,' he said. VIRTUAL REALITY Virtual reality (VR) also allows learners of a traditional craft to gain skills without being constrained by old craftsmen's physical availability. PolyU students have also used AI to create a 'digital human' from the fast-disappearing indigenous Tanka group, known as boat dwellers, to share their history and experiences. The interactive nature of the project could generate interest in such cultures by young people, said PhD student Yue Xu. 'A lot of culture and art pieces are disappearing … for me I think that technology can help to digitalise these things,' he added. VR tools are also used by museums like the Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre. It is also working with PolyU on a VR project to allow people who are interested in learning about Hong Kong's traditions to experience its exhibits virtually. It features more than 40 different traditions, cultures and crafts synonymous with Hong Kong. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre is using technology to reach out to younger members of the population, strengthening its goal of preserving Hong Kong's history and techniques of the city's traditional crafts, according to its curator Celia Shum. 'We can make use of interactive programmes … (like) some QR codes for audio guides to (inform) … the public,' she said. Shum added that many young people are keen to know more about the city's cultural heritage. 'They mentioned to us (that they joined the) programmes and have the opportunity to know more about the techniques,' she said. The project is slated for launch in libraries and schools by the end of next year, bringing the city's traditional crafts and culture closer to the people.
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
International Folk Art Market In Santa Fe: Artisan Retail With A Purpose
International Folk Art Market guests in front of the IFAM marquee. © Gabriella Marks; Courtesy of IFAM Look beyond the art. Beyond the dazzling technique and skill. Beyond the individual artist even. Look all the way back to community. See heritage and ancestors. There, visitors to the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe will find the event's greatest beauty. International Folk Art Market artisans were asked by organizers in 2024 how many people help make their art? How many other people their work supports? Collaborators dwarf independents. Many of the juried artists work with family members. More work in large, community cooperatives. 'Last year, we had 165 artists, and they employed almost 12,000 people, and of those, 83% of them were women,' Stacey Edgar, Executive Director, International Folk Art Market, told That is the impact of folk art around the world. That is what IFAM attendees are supporting when they show up and purchase something. Artists, families, communities. Women. Female entrepreneurs. Buying products direct from the maker or producer, be that at the International Folk Art Market or a local farmer's market, supports families and communities, not multi-national corporations. The same corporations spending millions to employ lawyers to find new ways of avoiding taxes. The same corporations spending millions on lobbyists to bribe the government to reduce environmental regulations so they can save pennies by polluting more and more easily. More millions to bribe politicians to ease child labor requirements. More millions to fight labor unions. More millions to fight worker protections. Buying goods–whether that's food or furniture or clothing–from big, corporate, retail or online stores–the kind that do national advertising, the kind that have franchises in every city in America–does greater damage to the planet and more likely abuses workers and communities than buying direct from the maker. 'Shop small' is a global trend for a reason. Consumers can't shop smaller than buying from the maker, and when they do, as evidenced at the International Folk Art Market, their positive impact can be enormous. International Folk Art Market International Folk Art Market guest with jewelry artist Phoebe Lasoi Salau of Kenya. © Gabriella Marks; Courtesy of IFAM The International Folk Art Market has been honoring the handmade since 2004. The event grew out of Santa Fe's spectacular International Folk Art Museum when a former museum director, a former head of New Mexico's Department of Arts and Culture, and a Santa Fe entrepreneur transplanted from New York with experience in the global textile trade decided to move the art shown inside the museum outside. And invite the makers. And offer it for sale. One thing led to another and while still in partnership, the Museum and the Market are now separate organizations. 'The International Folk Art Market envisions a world that values the dignity and humanity of the handmade, honors timeless cultural traditions, and supports the work of artisans serving as entrepreneurs and catalysts for positive social change,' IFAM's mission statement reads. Can't beat that. Now, every year, roughly 150 artists are selected from more than 700 applicants around the globe to come to Santa Fe and sell their handiwork. IFAM financially supports their travel. Artisans showing and selling products at the 2025 fair hail from almost 60 countries. India and Mexico have the greatest number. Textiles and jewelry are the art forms best represented. Perfect for gift giving. 'Buying a piece of handmade art opens up your curiosity to the creativity that went into that piece. It makes you want to go down that rabbit hole and know a little bit more about the person behind it,' Edgar said. 'You go buy a pair of jeans, you know it was sewn, and unfortunately, that's the disconnect that happens. There's a person behind most things that you are wearing or using even if it was (made) in a factory. There are still lots and lots of human lives that make up that factory, it's just that their faces get taken away. That is what is special about the folk art sector, you are able to connect and hopefully have a better human understanding of that person, their lives, their motivation, their communities, when you learn about their art.' Edgar began her professional life as a social worker, working with families and communities. Service performed by her mother-in-law as part of the United Nations World Food Program in Ethiopia opened Edgar's eyes to the potential of art and craft items to impact communities and for women to help women. 'I thought, 'Wow, I know women who would love to champion these women and provide them a market,'' Edgar remembers. With $2,000 from a personal tax refund, she started Global Girlfriend, a company which grew to generate $2 million in fair trade sales annually. After being acquired by a larger company 17 years later, Edgar earned a PhD and then taught sustainability and social responsibility at the University of Colorado. She had been visiting IFAM since 2008 through Global Girlfriend. Artisan groups she was working with were often invited. 'It's unlike any other experience in the global artisan sector that I had, community art that provides employment,' Edgar explained. 'People get to connect directly with the artists. In this global space, there's a lot of importers like me telling people's story. When (makers) get to come and tell their own story and showcase their own work and demo how it's made, that person-to-person diplomacy is absolutely magical.' In one place, over a three-day weekend in one of America's most beautiful and arty cities, visitors can meet and shop and buy handmade artisan craft items directly from makers who call South Korea and Kazakhstan and Peru and Kenya home. New Mexico, too. In recognition of the city of Santa Fe celebrating its 20th anniversary as the first UNESCO 'Creative City' in America, IFAM organizers have invited New Mexico folk artists to present along with their global colleagues. Indigenous artists and artists descended from New Mexico's Spanish colonizers will show at the fair. 'This is a story of bringing that human touch, the handmade, into a tangible object, and bringing the memory of interacting with this artist, this creator, hearing their inspiration,' Edgar said. Visiting the International Folk Art Market 2025 2024 International Folk Art Market artist cohort enjoying Opening Night Celebration at Railyard Park. © Gabriella Marks; Courtesy of IFAM The International Folk Art Market 2025, the largest folk art market in the world, takes place between July 10 and July 13, 2025, at Santa Fe Railyard Park. In addition to artist tents, IFAM has grown to feature dance performances, talks, artist demonstrations, food vendors, and music performances with global vibes. Artisans are grouped by 'neighborhood' depending on their products and backgrounds. The neighborhoods are: Sustainability, Rooted in Place, Innovation, and Women's Empowerment (the largest). 'Multicolores is a group that takes old T-shirts and upcycles them into the most spectacular, creative rugs. They've been coming for many years.' Edgar said as one example of an artisan in the sustainability category. 'This year, we have a group called Ocean Soul out of Kenya on the coast and they collect flip flops that have washed up in the oceans as tourist waste, mostly, and they reuse them into these colorful sculptures.' Fourteen-hundred volunteers support IFAM's 11-person regular staff in putting on the event. Testament to Santa Fe and New Mexico's love for the arts and creativity. 'You've probably heard New Mexico's nickname, The Land of Enchantment, it's on the driver's license. Artists for years have been coming to Santa Fe, there's a magic in the landscape. There's a magic in the people,' Edgar said. 'It's a really interesting cultural blend of Native Americans and Spanish descendants, it's a real coming together of people, and with that, a coming together of creativity. Such an appreciation for art and making. We have a big maker community.' Santa Fe belongs to a select group of international cities designated as a City of Folk Art and Craft by UNESCO. The group of UNESCO Creative Cities are chosen by application for innovation, investment, and community in a range of arts and creativity. From cooking pots and water containers crafted in clay by Indigenous artists a thousand years ago through today, to contemporary decorative items and intricate jewelry crafted in textiles, metal, and wood, Santa Fe welcomes, strengthens, and grows arts and artists in its community. The galleries, the museums, the festivals and markets. With a population around 100,000, the Santa Fe area punches like a metropolis of 10,000,000 when it comes to arts and culture and creativity. Visitors to this year's International Folk Art Market can simultaneously enjoy SITE Santa Fe's 'International' exhibition with international contemporary art spread across venues around town. The International Folk Art Museum will of course be welcoming market-goers as well. How we spend our money as consumers makes a tremendous impact. On people. On the planet. How we spend our money also makes a statement about our values. What do you value? Communities or corporations? Artists or shareholders? More From Forbes Forbes 7 Reasons To Shop Local And Support Small Businesses By Joseph Lustberg Forbes Design For Freedom Summit Shares Strategies For Removing Modern-Day Slavery From Building And Construction Supply Chain By Chadd Scott Forbes SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market: The World's Greatest Art Fair By Chadd Scott
Japan Times
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
'Rice swindler,' 'Face thief': Worried citizens invent new monsters
Set within a maze of streets in sleepy Tonosho, a large bug-eyed creature painted on a building corner points out directions to confused pedestrians. The odd beast Michi-shirubei doesn't always get it right, but he means well. The yōkai, a creation of artist Chubei Yagyu, is one of about 900 folk spirit artworks collected at the Yokai Art Museum on Seto Inland Sea's Shodoshima in Kagawa Prefecture. Yagyu, the museum's director and a yōkai artist from the island, and his team run an open competition for sculptures of original, contemporary yōkai. The submissions from Japan as well as an increasing number from abroad are exhibited across four spaces that make up the museum. Last year, they were compiled into the book 'Pop Yokai: Contemporary Character Art of Japan.' Aspects of daily life have long been imbued with spirits and gods to explain mysterious phenomena, and yōkai dwell within things that provoke fear and anxiety. The sometimes bloodthirsty, aquatic kappa is well known, as is the fearsome jorōgumo, or woman spider. In the Edo Period (1603-1868), these spirits were to be feared, often referred to as 'bakemono' (monsters), but as folklorist Masabu Kagawa writes in 'Pop Yokai,' modern yōkai have evolved from the dreadful and spooky bakemono — today, they include creatures that are cute, humorous and playful. The new imps created by yōkai enthusiasts reflect the times, surfacing larger themes in the public consciousness. Last year, the museum called for ideas for a 'yōkai of the year.' Of the 3,575 form submissions it received, a clear theme emerged. 'Right now in Japan, (people are saying), 'There's no rice! There's no bichikumai (government stockpiled rice). Rice is expensive. What's happened? It must be yōkai's fault!'' says Atsushi Nomura, who runs PR at the museum. The "Kome kakushi" (rice swindler) monster is meant to represent concerns over the high price and inaccessibility of rice amid contemporary market upheavals. | YOKAI ART MUSEUM So the kome kakushi (rice swindler) yōkai was born, imagined by Yagyu based on the rice-shortage related entries. Through the museum and book, bigger themes emerge from the last decade. A number of yōkai sculptures related to anxiety over nuclear disaster have been submitted to the contest, which began in 2013, two years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. 'Yokai josen' (decontamination yōkai), for one, licks away radioactive waste, perhaps a reference to the creepy but helpful akaname, a folk creature said to lick away bathtub scum. The 'Futakuchi to nanakuchi' (two mouths and seven mouths) brothers have multiple mouths in order to take in and purify radioactive air. Nomura says a lot of yōkai submissions come dotted with eyes. 'We live in a world where we're being watched by an overwhelming number of eyes — in town, at home, outside in the streets. There are video cameras everywhere, creating a surveillance society,' says Nomura. 'People have a sense of fear about being constantly watched.' Failures in interpersonal communication is another common theme among the yōkai. 'Nohazama' (in between) fills the space between figures on a bench, responding on behalf of a person who's speaking nonsense. 'Kao nusubito' (face thief) is a spirit that steals people's true feelings, which is maybe why everyone on the train seems to be wearing an expressionless mask. "Pop Yokai: Contemporary Character Art of Japan" compiles a number of new spirits, creatures and monsters that reflect modern Japan's anxieties. | ROCKBOOK A number are related to climate change and ecological fears. 'Naraku' (black hole), for example, 'maintains the world's balance by absorbing the products of excess.' But naraku, for all its efforts, is being destroyed by the overwhelming volume of waste. 'Yukionna tominchu' (hibernating snow woman) shows the old yōkai known as 'yukionna' staying dormant out of fear of a warming planet. Even people's tiniest stressors are reflected at the museum. Outside the main building, visitors can write on ema, wooden plaques typically hung at shrines with people's hopes and prayers. Here, visitors write down their vices and regrets in hopes a new yōkai will be born to whisk away things they'd rather forget. 'I threw out my good friend's winning horse race ticket.' 'I still cry in front of other people, even though I'm an adult.' 'I misspelled the name of my girlfriend of one year.' In the future, Nomura says, he expects to see new yōkai addressing fears about AI. 'People everywhere are very concerned that AI might end up ruling over us,' he says, 'so I hope that yōkai will appear who can support us by doing things AI can't do.' The modern yōkai collection shows what's keeping people up at night in Japan. But these aren't passive worrywarts being subsumed by a hopeless morass of fear; through humor and creativity, they attempt to transform their lives full of anxiety into creatures of discomfort. 'Rather than yōkai that trap people, punish them or defeat them, I personally hope for gentle yōkai that quietly stay close to foolish and shallow humans, offering them comfort,' Nomura says. The Yokai Art Museum is open everyday except for Wednesdays. For more information, visit . 'Pop Yokai: Contemporary Character Art of Japan' was released in September 2024. For more information, visit
