NTCRI lays taiwan's craft spirit on the global stage of maison&objet

NTCRI at the 2022 maison et objet

Always a crowd-puller, The Taiwan Crafts Design Pavilion makes its appearance at the 2022 Maison et Objet. Titled ‘The Taiwanese Crafts Equation’, the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) exhibition echoes the ‘Meta sensible’ theme of the event and brings to the international stage the aesthetic functional crafts and the entrepreneurial spirit of Taiwan. Overall, 17 brands/creators and 4 works from the domestic timber project are exhibited at the fair. 

‘Indigo Dye Deco’ by Taiping Blue Indigo is done with a traditional natural dyeing technique from hand-picked plants and processed with needles, threads, ropes, and wood fixtures

all images courtesy of NTCRI

The Taiwan Crafts and Design Pavilion

With the marketing planning directed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture and the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI), The Taiwan Crafts and Design Pavilion is set to deliver hopeful messages of the ‘co-construction of substance and virtuality’ and ‘the coexistence of life and nature.’ Chang Jen Chi, director of NTCRI, worked in collaboration with international curator Cyril Zammit to settle on the theme ‘The Taiwanese Crafts Equation,’ in the hope of allowing Taiwan’s craft industry to engage with the world more deeply. From the selection of exhibits to the spatial design of the pavilion, every detail is inspired by and closely connected with meta. Viewers are guided by a clean-lined and warm-feeling wooden grille to enter the pavilion and feast on Taiwan’s contemporary craft arts.

Chang Jen Chi (right) director of NTCRI collaborated with international curator Cyril Zammit (left) to settle on the theme ‘The Taiwanese Crafts Equation’

17 Brands/Creators & 4 Creations of Domestic Timber

The exhibits in the Taiwan Crafts & Design pavilion are selected through an open call, including 17 brands and 79 works from Taiwan. It is noteworthy that the director of NTCRI Chang Jen Chi and international curator Cyril Zammit both made the selection based on the potential of sustainability. Many of the candidate works are made using carbon-reducing and sustainable materials, such as domestically-grown Taiwania, Japanese cedar, bamboo, paper mulberry, bulrush, as well as recycled bottom mud from Sun Moon Lake, marble from Hualien, denim, metal, and even the ground-breaking reusable soft cement.

TYLC Bench and Screen by Tzu Hsien Yang made with bead tree and Honduras mahogany, and the wicker-weaving technique enables greater comfort

The exhibition is further livened up by various pieces of modern wood furniture, including two works made by Chaiwood with leather and wood, and a few domestic timber and bamboo works that have been actively promoted by NTCRI in recent years, which include tables and chairs, benches, and screens, made with Taiwan-grown Chinaberry, Taiwan Acacia, Taiwania, Luanta-fir, and more.

Chaiwood Working Desk by Taiwan furniture brand Chaiwood, made of brass, leather, and solid wood

To increase the efficiency of transaction execution, the exhibition not only works with M&O’s online platform MOM but also collaborates with the leading e-commerce platform Pinkoi. Along with its international business platform ‘Pinkoi for Business,’ the online service focuses on the needs for cross-border trade and addresses the pain points both the sellers and buyers face. A special section on its website is dedicated to the brands exhibited in the Taiwan Crafts and Design pavilion and seeks to stimulate purchasing through a shipping discount promotion.

‘object Antique Modern Meeting’ was made by Crown Craft Design Co., Ltd, for which the artist puts effort into woodworking, jade carving, and ceramic 3D printing to integrate cross-disciplinary craft design

Hexagonal Stool surface from Taiwan furniture brand Chiawood made of hand-sewn leather into the wood to make it rugged

contemporary craft creator Zhong Qiongyi creates ‘Following the Light’ out of seaweed, recycled fabric, and faux leather cord

the ‘Indigo Dye Ｗood Lamp’ by Taiping Blue is made with a striped texture done by using the indigo dyeing technique

Booboo chair by ChengKai Chang made with the technique of wood bending to not only strengthen the material but also reduce the risk of injuries when children play around it

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Celement Square Soap by Celement Lab is a soft-texture handmade soap based on natural rock-like styles and mineral formula

JINGOO wireless audio light by DAQICONCEPT is not only a sound, but also a decorative light, which can be connected with Bluetooth to play music wirelessly for 25 hours

home and living décor design company Haoshi creates the 'Tree Vase' through a combination of Vase often requires a combination of traditional and modern tools and production techniques such as slip casting, sponging, trimming ,glazing and hand sanding

designer Sheng Wen Wang looks at how furniture and lighting are presented in the space

brand OOO creates the evolving Stool project exploring object culture, design, and living

designer jewelry by brand INTZUITION, made out of 100% recyclable materials

Hybridise, a design studio based in Taipei, focuses on multi-materials design development. By exploring new possibilities and new approaches to materials, while looking for inspiration from traditional crafts

'The Waving Green Foxtail-Sunrise' by MoziDozen uses wood as the main material, combined with different sub-materials, such as wool felt, pulp, etc.

'Pebble' by doTsuwa is a series of single /cluster installation flower utensils that combine process design and pottery creation for utensils

heatproof mat made of recycled metal by TPcreative

'Stretch from the Forest' by designer HuoTu Chen transforms the typical folding screen into a natural aroma diffuser

'Cherish memories' by JingTeng Lin in inspired by weaving machines, where these chair have a seat woven with soft thread—a special fusion of unusual design elements

project info:

location: Galerie Signature, Hall 7, Paris Nord Villepinte, Booth No.: A31

organization: National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) /@neotaiwanese_craftsmanship

international curator: Cyril Zammit

NTCRI director: Chang Jen Chi

dates: September 8 – 12, 2022, 9:30 – 19:00 (Monday 9:30 – 18:00)