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Italian job adds to creativity at city expo
By Xu Wenwen and Wu Huixin |
October 17, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IT'S fair to say that an event that features Ferrari's first four-seater and four-wheel drive car, alongside a 400-kilogram giant shoe made for the movie "The Wizard of Oz" in the 1930s and a Dolce & Gabbana dress that Julia Roberts wore to the Oscars could not be described as an everyday occurrence.
Hangzhou hosted these eye-catching exhibits during the Hangzhou Cultural and Creative International Expo, which ended on Monday, after the Italian Industrial Design Association (ADI) chose Hangzhou to show the items.
This ties in with the city's ambitions to be a "creative and cultural capital" and "the Oriental Geneva."
The Italians hired Tang Academy Cultural Company to find a partner city in China, and Tang spent more than a year investigating 20 provincial capital cities before finally opting for Hangzhou.
"Hangzhou meets all our requirements after looking at around 20 candidate cities on the Chinese mainland, all provincial capitals and big cities," said Chen Feiran, general manager of Tang Academy Cultural Company's Hangzhou branch.
The association cooperated with Hangzhou government and the 2012 Hangzhou International Design Festival that showcased Italian designs and was part of the expo.
The Hangzhou Cultural and Creative International Expo also included: the Hangzhou Seal Culture Expo, the China 4A Golden Award, the Zhejiang Traditional Ceramics Boutique Exhibition, the 2012 International Creative Pattern Design Exhibition, as well as forums and conventions.
The "report card" of the expo is good; the event featured around 2,000 exhibitors from China and 16other countries and attractedup to 450,000 visitors.
And the sum of contracts signed during, or to be signed soon, is estimated to be worth 4.5 billion yuan (US$718 million) - 26 percent up on last year's expo.
Turnover of business on the spot at the expo reached 150 million yuan, 15 percent higher than last year.
Also, according to the organizing committee, on the last day of the expo, 25 percent of exhibitors booked space for next year's event, and almost all the exhibitors said they would return next year.
Local design company Sui Sheng Wu Pin that designs and makes recycled materials into everyday items was one of the exhibitors.
At last year's event, the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission visited the company's booth and eventually they signed a contract to design low-carbon entertainment rooms for more than 200 communities in Shanghai.
"Last year when I came, I didn't expect to secure a big deal, and it surprised me. That's why I returned this year," said Kong Guirong, president of Sui Sheng Wu Pin.
At the booth of the Chih-chung Cultural Hall, fans from numerous cities and provinces gather to buy items related to famous Taiwan cartoonist Tsai Chih-Chung, now based in Hangzhou.
On sale were Tsai's cartoon books as well as associated products, including tea sets, cellphone cases, T-shirts and ceramics - some autographed by Tsai.
"It's the second time we've participated. Last time we learned what visitors liked most and this time we've brought more items," said Qian Jiajun, director of the Hangzhou Chih-chung Cultural Hall.
"This festival is not a dispersed exhibition, but a union of the excellent traditional cultures of many countries, and I hope we can cooperate with Hangzhou in the future through this exhibition," said Carlo Forcolini, former chairman of ADI.
The only city in China named as UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art, Hangzhou has in recent years sought to develop cultural and creative industries.
"Hangzhou's cultural and creative industries lead the nation's," said Pan Zhenzhou, former vice minister of China's Ministry of Culture.
"Life needs design. However, some of us have ignored it for a long time. The design festival gives us an opportunity to approach traditional and international design," he added.
Hangzhou hosted these eye-catching exhibits during the Hangzhou Cultural and Creative International Expo, which ended on Monday, after the Italian Industrial Design Association (ADI) chose Hangzhou to show the items.
This ties in with the city's ambitions to be a "creative and cultural capital" and "the Oriental Geneva."
The Italians hired Tang Academy Cultural Company to find a partner city in China, and Tang spent more than a year investigating 20 provincial capital cities before finally opting for Hangzhou.
"Hangzhou meets all our requirements after looking at around 20 candidate cities on the Chinese mainland, all provincial capitals and big cities," said Chen Feiran, general manager of Tang Academy Cultural Company's Hangzhou branch.
The association cooperated with Hangzhou government and the 2012 Hangzhou International Design Festival that showcased Italian designs and was part of the expo.
The Hangzhou Cultural and Creative International Expo also included: the Hangzhou Seal Culture Expo, the China 4A Golden Award, the Zhejiang Traditional Ceramics Boutique Exhibition, the 2012 International Creative Pattern Design Exhibition, as well as forums and conventions.
The "report card" of the expo is good; the event featured around 2,000 exhibitors from China and 16other countries and attractedup to 450,000 visitors.
And the sum of contracts signed during, or to be signed soon, is estimated to be worth 4.5 billion yuan (US$718 million) - 26 percent up on last year's expo.
Turnover of business on the spot at the expo reached 150 million yuan, 15 percent higher than last year.
Also, according to the organizing committee, on the last day of the expo, 25 percent of exhibitors booked space for next year's event, and almost all the exhibitors said they would return next year.
Local design company Sui Sheng Wu Pin that designs and makes recycled materials into everyday items was one of the exhibitors.
At last year's event, the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission visited the company's booth and eventually they signed a contract to design low-carbon entertainment rooms for more than 200 communities in Shanghai.
"Last year when I came, I didn't expect to secure a big deal, and it surprised me. That's why I returned this year," said Kong Guirong, president of Sui Sheng Wu Pin.
At the booth of the Chih-chung Cultural Hall, fans from numerous cities and provinces gather to buy items related to famous Taiwan cartoonist Tsai Chih-Chung, now based in Hangzhou.
On sale were Tsai's cartoon books as well as associated products, including tea sets, cellphone cases, T-shirts and ceramics - some autographed by Tsai.
"It's the second time we've participated. Last time we learned what visitors liked most and this time we've brought more items," said Qian Jiajun, director of the Hangzhou Chih-chung Cultural Hall.
"This festival is not a dispersed exhibition, but a union of the excellent traditional cultures of many countries, and I hope we can cooperate with Hangzhou in the future through this exhibition," said Carlo Forcolini, former chairman of ADI.
The only city in China named as UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art, Hangzhou has in recent years sought to develop cultural and creative industries.
"Hangzhou's cultural and creative industries lead the nation's," said Pan Zhenzhou, former vice minister of China's Ministry of Culture.
"Life needs design. However, some of us have ignored it for a long time. The design festival gives us an opportunity to approach traditional and international design," he added.
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