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Rising Talents of Maison et Objet 2019 Shined at Today`s Conference⇒ CovetED attended this morning the incredible conference of the 6 Chinese Rising Design Talents chosen by Maison et Objet to headline this year’s Rising Talent Section!
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Frank Chou, Chen Furong, Mario Tsai, Hongjie Yang, Ximi Li and Bentu rank as some of the brightest young design powers in China today. With different backgrounds, studies, passions and inspirations, these 6 Designers have only two things in common: They are Designers and they embodied the Future of Chinese Design! Well, we can also say that all 6 are at Maison et Objet 2019 with amazing Stands at Hall 6!
All 6 exemplify talent, emotional depth and creativity and bring innovation and energy to their work. Some prefer a China-centric approach, others have absorbed multicultural influences by studying, working and living abroad. But all are committed to forming a new Chinese language of design. Today’s conference was used by Maison et Objet to present in a Face to Face event the 6 Designers, their Backgrounds and their connection with China and Chinese Design! Leading this talk was Stéphanie Zao, one of the leaders of the famous DesignChain platform, one of this year’s partners of Maison et Objet and the driving force behind the Rising Talents section of this Year!
Her professional goal is to take the high-end international interior design and furnishing brands to China, and to serve as a powerful ambassador of Chinese Design to the World! No wonder she was chosen to moderate a talk with the 6 Rising Designers that, just like we’ve told you, embodied on their own style the spirit of China!
After a small presentation, Miss Zao presented Frank Chou. This Beijing-born designer explained that his work is inspired in philosophy and old Chinese ways! But he mixes up his work with some modern approaches, having witnessed first-hand the dynamic changes afoot in his hometown over the past few decades. He currently produces elegant, long-lasting, functional pieces which represent contemporary Chinese thinking, yet finely balance the needs of modern Oriental and future Oriental lifestyles. Of all the 6 Designers of the Rising Talent Section, Chou is probably the one with a more commercial take on furniture!
Chou’s presentation was followed by Mario Tsai. This furniture, product and industrial designer prefer to “use less, design better”. His minimalistic approach to design derives from his professional background past in Scandinavia, where he learned from some of the best Scandinavian Designers. But Tsi refuses to be known as a Chinese/ Scandinavian Designer. He fully admits that his pieces are inspired in Scandinavia and Chinese styles, but he prefers to be labeled as an All Around Contemporary Designer.
Next up was Chen Furong, the founder of lighting, furniture and accessories brand WUU, and one of the 6 Rising Talents with more professional experience! His designs are timeless and are a direct result of research-driven passion of Furong. He usually blends handcrafted techniques with a modernist vision that’s why he says his pieces are the perfect balance between combining technology with traditional crafts, after all, the Chinese Natural elements are Furong’s top source of inspiration!
The most conceptual and extravagant designer of the lot must be Hongjie Yang. Born and raised in China, Yang currently resides in Europe and that’s probably why he has a more slow and artistical approach to design than the others. Unlike many Chinese Designers that need to work fast to keep up with the growth of Chinese Design, Yang prefers to create fewer pieces but with a more iconic and different look. He is a fan of experimentation and usually combines its love for design and uniqueness with another one of his passions: astronomy!
Design director Chen Xingyu founded his own design brand Bentu alongside Xu Gang, Peng Zeng and Chen Xingguang in 2011! Born in the fast-growing city of Guangzhou, Xingyu and Bentu work to meet the problems raised by a rapidly developing society, recycling materials that others may deem waste, like coal cinder, construction waste and bone ash, and transforming them into furniture, lighting and accessories. His the more Ecological Designer of the Group and his approach to design earned him praises form Miss Zao that recognizes that China needs more designers with the same state of mind and that work to solve two of the countries biggest problems: Pollution and Waste Disposal. Xingyu love for experimentation, exploration, innovation and environmentally-friendly pieces will clearly take him far in the Design Industry.
Lastly, it was time for Ximi Li to take the stage! He worked for leading designers Andrea Branzi and Luca Trazzi in Italy and, upon returning to Shanghai joined Neri & Hu, acting as Chief Designer for 6 years. In 2016 Ximi launched independent design studio Ximi Li and furniture brand URBANCRAFT. Working to create timeless pieces that integrate East and West, Ximi is committed to global cultural fusion, quality and good craftsmanship and that’s why his pieces have a more iconic, unique and modern look than the rest. Like Yang, Li has a more slow and irreverent approach to the design industry and that’s why his pieces approach the realm of furniture works of art!
To end the Conference on a High Note, Miss Zao asked all the Designers to talk a bit about the Future ad the meaning of Chinese Design and all of them were to admit that Chinese Design is growing fast and it’s expanding worldwide, but it will come a time when it will stall. Nevertheless, they believe China is one of the top Markets of Today and Tomorrow for Design and Furniture and that the Country has and offers endless creative possibilities! Keep an eye on CovetED for more info on Maison et Objet 2019.
See Also:
COMPLETE GUIDE TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL MAISON ET OBJET 2019 CONFERENCES
FIRST HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FIRST DAY AT MAISON ET OBJET 2019
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