DesignInspire returns with exciting roadshows all about local creative talents

Made famous internationally in foreign films depicting Hong Kong, Ap Liu Street (鴨寮街) is a local landmark bursting with energy and vibrancy. The open-air market lined with small stands and fold-out hawker-style stalls comes to life through its busy interactions with everyday shoppers – which is the core element that Nichol Wong, Jetson Lai, and Desmond Liu have translated into ‘Illumination’. Thoughtful in its conception, the trio’s installation integrates an interactive engagement with the audience, altering sounds and colours by touch, much like the interactions and ever-changing streetscape along the bustling Ap Liu Street.

Known for his bold and fascinating silhouettes, along with his use of sustainable design techniques, homegrown designer Angus Tsui has created a stunning sculptural dress – titled xenoblossom – inspired by the unique scenes of the ever-bustling Mong Kok Flower Market. Utilising different art mediums to create original prints, as well as traditional origami techniques to form various striking shapes and structures, Tsui built the dress in hopes to encourage others to think more critically about how we treat our planet and each other, and how these interactions may affect the future.

Affectionately known as ‘Cat Street’ for its history of trading allegedly stolen property (also known as ‘Mouse Goods’ in Cantonese), Upper Lascar Row is one of the few streets in the city that still retains its bygone Hong Kong charm. Nowadays, the winding alley is dotted with stores and stalls selling trinkets, art, and antiques for tourists and locals alike. Inspired by the past and present of Upper Lascar Row, USC graduates Ryan Tung, Jackie Cheung, and Anson Kwan’s Imprinting Ancedote depicts the multitude of hidden thrift store treasures and the linkage of these bizarre and unexpected goods. Believing that each item tells a story, Imprinting Ancedote is a sculpture that captures the varying elements on the street, rewriting the street tapestry in a single creative form.

Founder and design director of Tomorrow Design Office Ray Lau created 40 Units Typoscape in honour of Chun Yeung Street (春秧街), a street that was once home to a famous row of 40 housing units in the 1930s. Using the Chinese character ‘間 (gaan)’ – meaning units or rooms – Ray’s piece is a book that opens up to illustrate the scenes of the streets from a century ago. It recalls a time before the emblematic double-decker trams ran through the crowded wet market and plays into an almost forgotten sense of nostalgia. The installation aspires to create a connection for the new generation to the history and heritage of the storied Chun Yeung Street. 

Another art piece inspired by Chun Yeung Street is 'Mini-Stools' by Aron Tsang of Napp Studio. An iconic Hong Kong site, Chun Yeung Street lies on the axis of old and new; chaos and order. Finding beauty and meaning in the often-overlooked ordinaries common to the locale, ‘Mini Stools’ highlights underrated makeshift items like concrete plastic buckets for anchors and plastic foam boxes for shelves. Appropriating the resourceful spirit of the community, Napp Studio translates this very concept into a series of sculptures that are contemporary renditions of the informal and adaptable everyday objects.

DesignInspire is an annual creative showcase of world-class designs by global creative gurus, trending brands and design academies and institutions. This year, the exhibition is taking things to a new level by extending the showcase to a year-round digital programme. Featuring over 500 designers and artists from all over the world, the virtual showcase welcomes all to experience everything from design projects and thematic designer stories to fun interactive experiences and a range of creative design and STEM workshops. 

DesignInspire 'Streets & Stories' Exhibition
Date: November 19 to December 5, 2021
Time: 10am-8pm
Venue: Urban Sky (9/F), Hysan Place, Causeway Bay
You can also see the exhibition online! Click here for more details.

Visit DesignInspire's website and follow the HKTDC Inspirations Facebook Page for more creative designs, innovations and new inspirations!