Maison&Objet pavilion applies Taiwan's "rich craftsmanship tradition" to modern life
Promotion: from 3D-printed cutlery to beach toys made from recycled fish scales, more than 60 pieces of craft will be on show as part of the Taiwan Pavilion at this year's Maison&Objet furniture fair in Paris.
Taking over the Signature gallery at the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition centre, the installation will spotlight the work of Taiwanese artisans and brands under the theme "Evolving Life".
Led by the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI), the pavilion will explore "the progressive journey of Taiwanese craftsmanship over the years and the unwavering optimism that propels our lives forward".
The Taiwanese Pavilion will be divided into three sections – conceptual crafts, brand crafts and fashion crafts.
In the first section, NTCRI will showcase nearly 30 experimental creations the institute has supported through its various programmes in recent years.
Among them are furnishings crafted using local Taiwanese wood and digital manufacturing techniques, beach toys made from recycled fish scales and elaborate 3D-printed cutlery with contrasting stone handles.
"These ingenious creations serve as a testament to the collaborative efforts of NTCRI, industry partners and academia, who have collectively pushed the boundaries of materials, technology, style and aesthetics," the collaborators said.
"Through these endeavours, they continuously breathe new life into Taiwan's rich craftsmanship tradition."
The brand crafts category highlights 29 works from 10 emerging and established Taiwanese companies, including furniture maker Tomood, design brand NakNak and Yuhsien Design Studio.
Fashion craft is also on the agenda with an entire section dedicated to a collaboration with Taipei Fashion Week that brought together three pairs of artisans and fashion designers.
The project saw lacquer artist Wang Ching Shuang paired with ethical luxury brand C Jean, temple painter Chung Wu Nan with streetwear designer Justin Chou and shadow puppet master Zhang Fu-guo with textile designer Tang Tsung Chien.
"These collaborative efforts seamlessly translate traditional lacquer decoration, temple painting and shadow play into contemporary clothing, exuding an essence of tradition and charm," NTCRI said.
The Taiwan Pavilion was curated in collaboration with French design consultant Francois Leblanc Di Cicillia and supported by the Taiwanese Ministry of Culture.
It will be on show in the Signature gallery of Hall 7 in the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition centre as part of Maison&Objet 2023 from 7 to 11 September.
For more information, visit the Maison&Objet website.
Maison&Objet 2023 takes place from 7 to 11 September at Paris-Nord Villepinte Parc des Expositions, France. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for NTCRI as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.