Wu's latest creations, called "Chinese Book Room". [Photo provided by Wu Tengfei]
An exhibition featuring traditional crafts and contemporary design from China will be held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, a museum of decorative arts in the northwestern wing of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, from July 5 to 19, at which renowned Chinese woodcarving artist Wu Tengfei will showcase his latest creations.
This exhibition is part of the 2024 China-France Year of Culture and Tourism organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The selected works all come from national-level practitioners of intangible cultural heritage and top-tier Chinese contemporary designers.
Wu, head of the Dongyang Classical Rosewood Furniture Design Institute in Dongyang in East China's Zhejiang province, has integrated various elements of national-level intangible cultural heritage, such as Dongyang woodcarving, Dongyang bamboo weaving, lacquerware, silk flowers, calligraphy, and traditional Chinese painting, into his creations. His works to be exhibited at the Louvre Museum, including wooden desks and chairs, present a traditional Chinese study.
Wu's works combine traditional Chinese culture and contemporary aesthetics. [Photo provided by Wu Tengfei]
Traditional Chinese culture has always been the main source of inspiration for Wu when exploring the development of contemporary Chinese furniture design.
Targeting international audiences, he has employed contemporary aesthetics in his design and techniques to explore modern expressions based on tradition. "This exhibition will not only attract the French public but also draw a global audience visiting France for the Olympics," Wu said.
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations, Wu said that he hopes to take advantage of the Paris Olympics and the Louvre Museum to showcase the strength of Dongyang woodcarving and increase its popularity in the international market.
