Curious Wonders

Exhibitions Date:
1^st Sep 2019
Venue: 10/F, K11 ARTUS Gallery

Traditional Chinese curiosity cabinets were usually made of precious hardwoods, containing small compartments for the display of delicate scholar’s objects and curiosities. In this exhibition, a traveller’s trunk has been whimsically converted into a modern interpretation of the curiosity cabinet. On display are two types of antique crafts: baibaoqian (semi-precious stone inlays) and guangcai (Canton enamel porcelains). These craft works were used not only as functional objects in daily living, but also as works of art with distinct aesthetics made to delight and impress.

Baibaoqian refers to objects inlaid with a vast array of semi-precious stones and materials, ranging from jade, turquoise, mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli, coral, ivory, to others. In this exhibition, a number of scholar’s objects made of wood or lacquer are embellished with multi-coloured inlays, adding a colourful twist to these otherwise monochrome objects.

Guangcai, or Canton enamel, is a type of porcelain ware which emerged during the Qing dynasty. Often manufactured in Jingdezhen and then embellished with overglaze enamels in workshops of Guangzhou, guangcai porcelains gained enormous commercial success as export wares for European markets. Their noticeably elaborate decorations and lively subject-matter often reflect the tastes of their European clientele and inhabitants of Chinese port cities at the time.

By displaying these exceptional antique items in our thoughtfully designed traveller’s trunk, we hope to demonstrate the relevance of these age-old treasures in a creative and contemporary setting.

Next to our curiosity cabinet, a 1:1 replica of a lion plaster-moulded sculpture from the roof of the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall in Guangzhou is on display. Plaster moulding is a distinct architectural element prevalent in southern China. Models of wooden caisson ceilings commonly seen in the Zhejiang Ningshao area are also exhibited, flaunting the broad range of architectural wonders found in different regions of China.