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Crafts
工藝類

WEI Yan-Shun

Modern craft focuses on the variation and choice of the interaction process between design and production, utilizing manual techniques
to manipulate materials and produce either conceptual or functional works. The outcomes should encompass four major areas: material
beauty, craftsmanship, artistic depth, and creative originality. Firstly, there is the aesthetic expression of materials and techniques. The unique
beauty of various media is refined through skillful techniques, achieving a certain level of technical and artistic excellence. Secondly, creativity
and originality are crucial. The subject matter should reflect the author's unique perspective and novel expression, triggering the audience’s
attention and resonance in unusual ways. Craft works should provoke the audience’s sense of social responsibility and action. Finally, there is
the overall coherence and completeness. A good work not only excels in individual elements but also demonstrates strong cohesion, creating
an atmosphere of quality and emotional impact.
This year, a total of 161 submissions were received, including eight from abroad. After the preliminary review, 20 works were shortlisted, and
19 were received for the final review. It is difficult to compare works of different media in terms of expression and function, but this does not
diminish their unique creative values. After multiple rounds of thorough discussion, the jury selected the top three prize winners, three Award
of Merit winners, and 13 Short Lists.
First Prize-winning “Four Season” captures the four seasons within a tea set. Spring is symbolized by the prosperous and elegant peony,
summer is represented by the pure lotus, autumn features the noble chrysanthemum, and winter is embodied by the unwavering plum
blossom. By combining the natural characteristics of these flowers with admirable human virtues and integrating varied geometric totems
into relief and openwork, and edging with metalwork, the tea set is imbued with unique character and life, highlighting layers of variation,
and classical forms and colors. The tea set, along with the overall tea ceremony arrangement, expresses both artistic and practical beauty.
Second Prize-winning “Guqin – Clouds Rise” passes down the craft of guqin production from the Tang/Song dynasties. It takes a hundred
different processes and a year of time to make the qin. The qin’s head is not shaped like a duck feet but features a single leaf-shaped handle,
and the bottom mimics the stem of a banana leaf. The design is exquisite and elegant, and it is traditionally believed to have been created by
LIU Bo-Wen during the Ming Dynasty. The guqin, used by literati for nearly four thousand years, serves as a refined instrument for cultivating
inner peace. Crafted meticulously following ancient methods, it is the combination of practicality and aesthetic excellence in craftsmanship.
Third Prize-winning “The Beauty of Trees” is made of high-temperature clay. It is a large poetic and evocative teapot that combines the
imagery of trees with the beauty and harmony found between heaven and earth, evoking the liveliness and vitality of nature. It allows people
to sense the tranquility and vigor of nature, while also showing that the teapot carries rich emotions and meanings.
Award of Merit-winning “Dream Spiral” expresses the state of space through stone-carving technique and spiral; the relationship between
the spiraling line and life is similar to the connection between people, leading to the same path through pulling and pushing. Penetrating
layers of spaces and stirring up the line of time, is it memory of the previous life, or perhaps future, another cycle of fate? Award of Merit-
winning “Chess Body, Ink Book” uses strips of bamboo and ink lines interwoven into a scroll go board, and carbonizes bamboo to different
degrees to create black and white go stones, presenting the warm texture and unique grain of bamboo. The table that aims reverse solid and
empty elements and the saucer-shaped stone box follow the thoughts of players, guessing the next moves. Using the ink line as a writing
brush, each game’s conclusion is like the completion of a book. Award of Merit-winning “Perfect Silver Teapot” brings to life the streamlined
shape through hammering, which is complemented by a combination of polished and misty textures on the body. Intricately carved motifs
on the teapot's body cleverly integrate with the agate or jade beads on the lid knob, creating an overall liveliness and richness. The plum
branch design on the lid's handle is made of gold, exuding elegance and prominence. The tea scoop is woven to display the creativity in the
details, expressing dedication and innovation through traditional craftsmanship.
Other than the works discussed above, there are also 13 Short Lists, including one entry from Hong Kong. In addition to praising works that
stand out in creativity, impact, technique, and overall expression, we also aim to encourage participants to continually create works in the
future, and look forward to seeing more participants from different fields of craft to participate in the competition.

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