A Story of Wandering

04.07.2020(Sat) 30.08.2020(Sun)
EVENT DETAILS
04.07.2020(Sat) 30.08.2020(Sun)

A Story of Wandering

Introduction

The Mills has invited local artists specialized in different media to work with its craftsmen, to showcase the beauty of craftsmanship in the forms of artistic creation, exhibition, workshop, music, and picture book. Surrounding the theme ‘A Story of Wandering’, the series of events is to be available to the public during this July and August.

Concept

In praise of slow —A Reminder for People Living in the Cities

 

In such a fast-paced society, hardly are we given enough time to catch our breath. We would, if we could, fully control every second of our lives, and never again have to hear the whisper in our heads that says ‘If I had a choice…’ Or, at the least, it would be nice to have time to do something that we are passionate about. The inconvenient truth is that the rapid urbanization and technological advance since the Industrial Revolution have made it impossible for us to live as we please as it fundamentally changes our conceptions of lifestyle, of mind and soul, and of time and space.

 

The Mills has invited local artists specialized in different media to work with its craftsmen, to showcase the beauty of craftsmanship in the forms of artistic creation, exhibition, workshop, music, and picture book. Surrounding the theme ‘A Story of Wandering’, the series of events is to be available to the public during this July and August.

 

Today, most of the daily necessities we purchase are of mass production with standardized designs. Crafts are quite the opposite: It takes time to master. Created by one’s own hands, the crafts in the making are constantly adapted to requirements or demands of a specific individual, which is about uniqueness, characters, and conscious decision to redefine our way of life.

Into the Mills: See, Hear, and Feel the Stories

Cyanotype x ‘Ng Fuk Coi’

Garling Lai is a local travelling cyanotype artist currently residing in Malaysia. She transfers this age-old photographic technique to fabric and intends to highlight the essence of different countries’ heritage. For this exhibition, she has learnt from scratch to make ‘Ng Fuk Coi’, a back-to-basic tailoring of qipao innovated by Jody Kan, founder of Qipao Tang. Lai is to tell stories with the cyan-blue silhouettes and dreamlike prints on the traditional garment.Exhibition – A Story of Wandering – Cyanotype x ‘Ng Fuk Coi’

Date:4/7/2020 – 30/8/2020

Venue : The Mills 1/FSharing Session – Cyanotype x ‘Ng Fuk Coi’

Guest Speaker : Garling Lai / Jody Kan

Date:4/7/2020

Time: 1pm-2pm

Date:Qi Pao Tang (Shop 104A)

Cyanotype Artist

Three years ago (in 2017), I was travelling all around Malaysia and I had many uncertainties of what to expect. Carrying a backpack that was nearly the size of me did not deter me exploring different local textiles, culture and to share my knowledge of Cyanotype.
Cyanotype (aka ferro-prussiate printing), is an old direct sunlight printing process where the angle of light, amount of exposure and types of medium would influence the final result of a blue and white image, which is well known as blueprint.
Besides capturing moments with my phone in Malaysia, I kept exploring the unknown possibilities of using cyanotype as prints. Surprisingly, curator – Him Lo, who discovered my early works in Malaysia, became simultaneously the ‘matchmaker’ for this collaborative project between me and Ms. Jody from Qipao Tang.
Blueprint to me symbolises an action plan for the future. Without action, blueprint would never materialize. It would only remain a figment of the imagination.
Same could be said of our own history and culture. If we do not pass down our knowledge, it will be lost forever. For goals to be realized, we must put our plan into practice. It’s like if I had not travelled to Malaysia, my work may not be here today. My artistic journey explores the meaning of history, by presenting my works today and passing on knowledge to inspire our future generations.

Lai Garling

Music and Craftsmanship in Harmony

Bowen Li is a local pianist and composer. The stories of three craftsmen at the Mills provided him the inspiration for creating three separate songs, which will be played during the entire exhibition period.
Concept to go 

EONIQ

Shabibi Sheep Workshop

The Mills X Bowen Li Music and Craftsmanship in Harmony Live Performance

Artist: Bowen Li

Date:4/7/2020

Time:3pm-4pm

Venue: Concept to go (Shop 126-127)

Pianist / Composer

Bowen Tsz Wo Li, a pianist and composer, actively performing and collaborating with

different bands, ensemble and art groups in Hong Kong and London.

Li studied in London at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (Bmus), where he

majored in jazz performance and composition, and graduated in July 2018. Bowen received

tuition from some of the best in the field including Martin Speake, Mark Lockheart and Liam

Noble.

During his time in London, Li performed with various groups. He played at Ronnie’s Scotts

with the Traditional Jazz Ensemble, and actively performed at Vortex, Olivers, Blackheath

Halls.

Since moving back from London in summer 2018, Li performed widely in Hong Kong. He

played at music festivals such as Jazz Gala ‘The Legends and Beyond 2019’, Freespace

Jazz Festival 2019 and Festival Hong Kong 2019 — A Cultural Extravaganza in Shanghai. Li

also collaborated extensively with a wide range of arts group such as Wuji Ensemble x

Mo-Men-T ‘Boundless Groove’, Director Tsai Ming-liang ‘Tsai Ming-liang’s Film, Favourite

Music, and Live Improvisation’, Chung Ying Theatre Company ‘All My Life I Shall Remember’

and Bel Canto Singers Group ‘Esther’ and ‘When Mozart Meets Da Ponte’, where he

performed the role ‘Mozart’.

He is an active member of Hong Kong jazz scene, frequently performing at local venues

such as the Fringe Club, Visage One, Wontonmeen, Lost Stars, 1563, Salon 10, Peel

Fresco etc.

Other than performing, Li is very dedicated to composing. He has composed and arranged

music for big bands, medium ensembles, jazz bands and solo piano, and has led his group

Bowen Li Trio/Quartet performing original music at various occasions.

Li also devoted his time to music education, teaching jazz piano and music theory at Tai Yat

Music Education, tutoring in Hong Kong Youth Jazz Collective and touring in secondary

schools under Bel Canto Singers to perform for students.

Children’s picture book – ‘Greeny Runaway’

The Mills has partnered with Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children to create a story for a children’s picture book named ‘Greeny Runaway’, and brought local illustrator Charlene Man on board for the project. The book is about the adventure of a traffic light ‘green man’, where he set off for the Mills and in the streets of Tsuen Wan to discover the stories in the neighborhood.

Children’s Picture Book

Embroidery Badge

Touch and Taste the brilliance of craftsmanship

The Mills has co-hosted an outdoor dining experience with Kids Club, a local organization aspired to strengthen the connection of the community and to combine farming into education. A one-day workshop in the nature, from working in the field to having a meal at the table, guarantees you a refreshing experience. Cyanotype artist Garling Lai’s workshop will teach you the principles and techniques of dyeing, qipao master Jody Kan’s workshop will teach you to tailor-make a ‘Ng Fuk Coi’ with your blueprint-cyanotype cloth, and local organization Breakthrough Art Studio’s workshop will take you to the field to explore the possibility of weaving with natural materials and teach you to create a one and only weaving product.

 

By slowing down, we will see the artistry of craftsmanship, and from there, we are to rethink our priorities in life.

Make your Wufucai workshop

Make your Wufucai workshop with Qipao master Jody Kan

In developing the wufucai process, Master Jody Kan was moved and inspired by the line from I Ching “leaders let their robes fall, and the empire was governed”. Meaning when people enter the era of civilization and law, they start to understand the importance of rituals and virtues suggested in classical texts.Date : 8, 15, 22, 29 August (Saturdays)
Time: 2:30 – 5:30
Fee: HKD2,500, total 4 sessions
Location: Qipao Tang, Shop 104A, The Mills

 

Enquiry:Community@nanfung.com

Cyanotype workshop in the field

** Due to the new social distance policy implied for COVID 19, the Cyanotype workshop has been postponed until further notice.

One-day in nature: Cyanotype workshop in the field
Come and learn the principles and techniques of dyeing from cyanotype artist Garling Lai, and enjoy some freshly made farm snacks at the field table while doing so! Afterward, you can also use the blueprint-cyanotype make your own wufucai at qipao master Jody Kan’s workshop at The Mills!Date: 1 Aug 2020 (Saturday)
Time: 10am-2pm / 2pm-6pm

Fee: HKD600/person; bring your child for an extra HKD200!

Enquiry:Community@nanfung.com

Touch and Taste the brilliance of craftsmanship

** Due to the new social distance policy implied for COVID 19, the Weaver workshop has been postponed until further notice.

One-day in nature: Touch and Taste the brilliance of craftsmanship
Other than the cyanotype workshop, local organization Breakthrough Art Studio’s workshop will take you to the field to explore the possibility of weaving with natural materials and teach you to create a one and only weaving product. Plus freshly made farm snacks!Date: 18 Jul 2020 (Saturday)
Time: 10am-1pm
Fee: HKD550/person; bring your child with extra HKD200!

Language:Cantonese

Enquiry:Community@nanfung.com