Practical design took centre stage at a recent exhibition in Valletta which bore testament to the current gradual transition from the “made in China” to the “created in China” paradigm.

This shift follows the accelerated development of the Chinese economy and the escalated modernisation of its industries. Design plays an important role in this context, as reflected in the exhibition Design as Life, which hosted works by Chinese design professionals and companies.

The works, including furniture, electronic and digital devices and packaging, have received global design awards. They explore the inspiration behind Chinese modern design, probing the depths of traditional life, culture, and possible developments, as well as the creative combination of brand, technology, and lifestyle in China’scurrent design.

Curator of Design as Life Shi Zhenhong spoke of the harmony in Chinese aesthetics: “Tea, painting and Zen calligraphy,

folk art and ingenuity embody the attitude Chinese people have towards life and cultural heritage.”

For curator Shi Zhenhong, Oriental aesthetics seek harmony between nature and mankind, maintaining that everything must flow in accordance with nature’s rules, in order to achieve a peaceful coexistence.

“Tea, painting and Zen calligraphy, folk art and ingenuity embody the attitude Chinese people have towards life and cultural heritage. In China, inspiration from antiquity, ancestral wisdom and the pursuit for balance between people and nature remain essential aspects of contemporary Chinese life aesthetics.

“Hence traditional culture continues to influence modern life and the art of design.”

(Source:timesofmalta.com)