Curator’s Words
The “CRAFT Now” exhibition explores the intersection of art and craft. It highlights how artists blur the lines between the two through their creative expression. Sustaining craft practices involves inheriting techniques while fusing them with innovative ideas. This approach enhances the use of materials and applications to reflect culture, aesthetics, and thoughts relevant to today’s world.
Featuring over thirty outstanding works from China, Japan, and Korea, many pieces are making their debut in Hong Kong at this pavilion. These artworks preserve Asia’s unique craftsmanship while showcasing boldness and innovation in material use, including lacquer, ceramics, bamboo, wood, paper, metalwork, glass, horsehair, and textiles. The quality of these exhibits has garnered recognition from local and international museums, earning numerous awards. These prove that contemporary craft transcends the label of “handicraft” and holds a significant cultural and collectible value.
I believe there should be no conflict between being “functional” and “nonfunctional” in crafts. Whether creating fine vessels or art pieces, the spirit of oriental craftsmanship has a long-standing tradition of being interconnected and inclusive, which is vital for its heritage and sustainable development.
I am honored to be the curator of “CRAFT Now” as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fine Art Asia, an important platform for the convergence of ancient and modern art in Hong Kong. I look forward to more opportunities to showcase the diversity of crafts in the future. This exhibition has benefited from the support of a dedicated team from the organiser, as well as the expertise of two veteran experts, Mr YING Jian and Ms LI Qian, Eva. Together with the enthusiastic support of fellow galleries, we have made this exhibition possible. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved.
Susanna Pang
About the Curators
Susanna Pang, Director & Curator of Contemporary Crafts Centre
Susanna Pang founded SOIL in 2012, focusing on the promotion of lacquer art. She is passionate about researching contemporary lacquer that blends traditional techniques with innovation, emphasizing its diversity and cultural significance. Over the years, her gallery has hosted more than 50 exhibitions and educational programmes in Hong Kong and abroad, showcasing contemporary lacquer works from China, Japan, and other parts of Asia to enhance audience awareness of this rare art form. Her efforts have also facilitated the acquisition of contemporary lacquer pieces into the permanent collections of major museums in the UK and Europe.
Currently, Susanna is an advocate for contemporary crafts, recognizing them as an essential part of our cultural heritage. To support this vision, she has established Contemporary Crafts Centre in 2020 as a platform to facilitate exchange and interaction within the craft community, actively working to elevate lacquer art and contemporary crafts in the cultural landscape.
Advisor, Ying Jian
Ying Jian is a gallerist, ceramic scholar, and curator devoted to the advancement of contemporary craft. In 2012, he co-founded KAOLIN, a pioneering self-media platform focused on contemporary ceramic art, which played a formative role in shaping critical discourse in the field. In 2016, he co-established Ting-Ying Gallery in the UK, which rapidly emerged as one of Europe’s preeminent galleries promoting contemporary Chinese craft. Works by its represented artists have been acquired for the permanent collections of major institutions including the V&A Museum, London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. In recognition of his significant contributions, he was honoured in 2018 as one of Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow by TATLER China. He also served as an advisor to the V&A Museum for the special exhibition Blanc de Chine: A Continuous Conversation (2019). Most recently, he co-initiated Nianwu Art, an innovative enterprise dedicated to the commercial transformation and conceptual expansion of contemporary craft.
Advisor, Eva Qian Li
Eva Qian Li is an accomplished consultant and influential advocate in the fields of craft and design. As co-founder of Nianwu Art, she is dedicated to advancing contemporary craftsmanship through cultural storytelling and commercial innovation. Since 2019, she has served as the China Advisor for the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize, where she promotes the award and nominates exceptional Chinese artists for international recognition. In her role as an art consultant, Eva has collaborated with LOEWE on a series of acclaimed cultural projects that pay homage to traditional Chinese craftmanship, including the Monochrome Collection (2022), the Jade Collection (2023), and the Cloisonné Collection (2024), each reinterpreting heritage techniques through a contemporary aesthetic.
Previously, Eva was Marketing Director at Ting-Ying Gallery in London, a leading promoter of contemporary craft. Works represented by the gallery are housed in prestigious collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the V&A Museum, and the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore, alongside distinguished private collectors. Earlier in her career, she was a founding member of several landmark industry events including Design Shanghai, Design China Beijing, and the Unique Design Shanghai.