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studios kang and wu
Post #701 • January 3, 2006, 11:27 PM • 7 Comments
The studio of Kang Yachu at Stock 20 in Taichung. Yachu may very well be famous one day. She was just in an exhibition in the Taiwan Crafts Center, another in Munich, and she recently did a visit to Lithuania. She's opening suitcases she's made out of cardboard that she's sent to herself, by train, so that they get inspected and stamped.
Inside, she lined them with photographs.
Shoes made from rice paper. I kept thinking how much she'd hit it off with Frances Trombly.
Up to Taipei for the weekend. That's Taipei 101 as seen from Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall. Taipei 101 is the first building to break the half-kilometer barrier in height.
Over to the Kang home to meet Yachu's father, Ruey-Chung, a master calligrapher, bookbinder, boxbuilder, and seal carver, all self-taught. Here, Kang Ruey-Chung holds up a scroll of the Heart Sutra.
Some of Ruey-Chung's work - sutra books mounted into a covered box.
The right-hand book, opened, with hand-drawn calligraphy of the Heart Sutra. You screw this up, you start over.
A page of carved seals.
Detail of maiden in lower right.
Kang writes the characters for "lucky."
He requested a drawing in return.
At home, Yachu has been working on images stitched on cloth. I think these may become a book as well.
Back in Taichung, I go to the classroom of calligraphy master Wu Chung-chi.
Wu lecturing about the origins of the characters. In Chinese. My hostess graciously translated.
Master Wu demonstrates.
Afterwards, everyone got to work.
At the end, another gift was in order.
Update: got some facts in Yachu's bio wrong. They're fixed.
2.
January 4, 2006, 2:01 AM
yes, great stuff, thanks for making this effort.
3.
January 4, 2006, 4:02 AM
oh my. wonderful stuff Franklin. thanks.
4.
January 4, 2006, 5:39 AM
how much for the Heart Sutra?
5.
January 4, 2006, 9:17 AM
My pleasure.
Dharma, probably less than you think. If you're serious, I can put you in touch.
6.
January 5, 2006, 6:41 AM
Thank you
please email me at arrowfuentes@hotmail.com
7.
January 6, 2006, 2:51 AM
Yah, this is a great travelogue... glad to see what you are getting to see and experience. Those cardboard suitcases lined with photographs, wow. Checked out the stock 20 link as well. Yes, the drive to "contemporary relevance" in the east is complete, they will match and surpass our frenzy. All the more relevant and satisfying to see the exchange of fresh, soulful "traditional" ink drawings.
1.
Cat
January 3, 2006, 11:38 PM
Great post. Beautiful drawings. mmm..