China is huge. China is becoming topical. Yet China remains mystery to most people in the West. ‘Made in China’ has become a familiar tag, but the spectacular creative energy in modern China is barely known. During the last twenty years, the Chinese have rediscovered their pre-socialist past and begun to combine their own traditions with global influences to produce a cultural rebirth. At the heart of this lies a new culture of design.
China Design Now is the exhibition in the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) to explore the recent explosion of new design in China and to attempt to understand the impact of rapid economic development on architecture and design in China’s major cities. From the 2008 Olympic stadium, and other significant architectural projects, to the latest in fashion and graphics, China Design Now captures a dynamic phase as China opens up to global influences and responds to the hopes and dreams of its new urban middle class. The journey starts in the far south, where graphic designers in Shenzhen began to explore new directions in the early 1990s. Next we move up to Shanghai. Here consumerism and urban culture have combined to produce astonishing fashion and lifestyles. Finally, we travel to Beijing, where monumental architecture for the Olympic Games is transforming the skyline of this ancient capital. This exhibition takes visitors on a journey along China’s coastal cities to experience the country’s creative landscape.
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The photo of Bird's Nest in the exhibition of China Design Now |
Graphic Design in the exhibition of China Design Now |
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Mme Chen Qixian (Left), the Director of China National Tourist Office (CNTO), was invited to attend the launch of China Design Now at Victoria and Albert Museum. |
Chinese Ambassador Mme Fu and Director of CNTO Mme Chen in discussion with Chief Operating Officer of China Business Network Dr. Adam Wu. |