Crafts on Peel, a not-for-profit creative venue located in a historic walk-up in the heart of Hong Kong, will open its doors on Saturday 18 January 2020 at 11 Peel Street.
With the objective to create collaborations between traditional craftsmen and contemporary artisans, Crafts on Peel provides a platform for traditional craft techniques and stories to be preserved and maintain relevance in the modern world.
The inaugural exhibition Crafts Interwoven: Past and Present will present collaborative works between local traditional craftsmen and contemporary artisans, using Hong Kong as the starting point from which Crafts on Peel will unfold their mission. Exhibition runs Saturday 18 January to Sunday 29 March 2020.
Crafts on Peel is an experiential retail, exhibition and workshop space to provide an authentic “mak-ing” experience, to promote the appreciation and understanding of craftsmanship, and to celebrate our collective identity and memories. A year-round Artisan-in-Residence program will generate ex-change and dialogue between artisans from different generations and regions, enhancing the quality and diversity of craftsmanship in Hong Kong, and acting as the foundations for Crafts on Peel’s pro-gramming. Through this knowledge exchange, as well as public engagement, research and archiving, Crafts on Peel is dedicated to the preservation and documentation of traditional crafts and heritage.
“Crafts on Peel strives to revive traditional craftsmanship by fostering collaboration between tradition-al craftsmen and contemporary artisans. We aim to breathe new life and innovative contemporary de-sign into traditional craft, so that the values of traditional craftsmanship can be integrated to our times.” said Yama Chan, Founder of Crafts on Peel.
For the opening exhibition Crafts Interwoven: Past and Present, Crafts on Peel has invited six contem-porary artisans to collaborate with local traditional craftsmen to explore how traditional crafts and techniques can be reinterpreted and perpetuated in a contemporary artistic context. Jinno Neko, Dyl-an Kwok, Lawrence Ting, Anthony So, Singchin Lo and Joey Leung, have worked over the last year with traditional craftsmen – Cheung Foon on bamboo framework crafting and papier-marché; Chan Lok Choi on birdcage crafting; Luk Shu-choi and Luk Keung-choi on copperware crafting; and Joseph Tso on Canton porcelain painting – to present a collaborative series of unique handmade artefacts. In con-junction with the collaborations, featured works by Canton porcelain painter Lam Duen Shan Ming and fashion designer Polly Ho will be presented.
“The most rewarding moment in the process of developing Crafts Interwoven: Past and Present was to witness the joy of the contemporary artisans when they were given the opportunity to apprentice under the traditional craftsmen, an incredible journey that they truly cherish and which also allowed them to be equipped with a specialized skill-set that they can further utilize and enhance in their work.” said Penelope Luk, Creative Director of Crafts on Peel.
