Things made with skilled hands parallel creations of nature’s workings. Intangible cultural heritage embodies the culmination of human creative labor across multiple dimensions, such as social practice, knowledge, technique, and relationship to place. It encapsulates wisdom passed down through generations, telling the stories of life and inspiring our minds. It is not only historical but also contemporary, not just achievements but also ongoing processes. It embodies sustainable ways of life and injects new vitality into cultural diversity and intercultural exchange.
China has 43 intangible cultural heritage projects listed in the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO)’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, the highest number in the world.
"Reviving" is a television program initiated by Ms. Yang Lan, Chairperson of Sun Media Group. She has visited dozens of inheritors of intangible cultural heritage and invited contemporary designers to draw inspiration from traditional crafts to create new Chinese styles for our era.
The "Reviving - Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Design Exhibition" is co-curated by Ms. Yang Lan and Mr. Su Dan. It endeavors to revitalize Chinese traditional crafts through contemporary design and pay tribute to the wisdom of hands. The exhibition employs the concept of the Five Elements in Chinese culture, dividing the space into five themed areas: Water, Metal, Wood, Earth, and Fire. In the exhibition, each element corresponds to different traditional crafts, highlighting not only the interdependency, transmutation, and integration between natural forces but also the dynamism between humans and their environments, as well as traditions and innovations.
This exhibition integrates digital media technology, AI technology, and contemporary art to create an immersive and interactive space. These elements empower the audience to experience the aesthetic essence of Eastern ways of life, appreciate the fusion of intangible cultural heritage crafts and contemporary design, and envision infinite possibilities for the future.