This is your first exhibition in London. How do you feel about it?

My first show – I’m feeling very good. The feedback’s been beyond my expectation.

The first thing you see in the exhibition is Chinese stars like Jackie Chan and Yao Ming holding stacks of renminbi. . Why?

They’re the powerful people who they can influence so many fans. They’re all Chinese, and they are the most influential to a young Chinese generation.

Do you think your art speaks to a Western audience or do you make your art for Chinese people?

I think it definitely speaks to Chinese people because I’m Chinese. I have very limited knowledge about Western history, lifestyle or habit. That’s all from my heart.

Let’s talk about what happened in 1989 – you sliced off your little finger in protest at the Tiananmen Square massacre and buried it in a plant pot. Why?

I wasn’t healthy mentally, and I don’t think I was stable especially after Tiananmen. It was shocking for everyone. It was like you had religion and then one day the religion came crashing down down and then there’s nothing there. After ten years, I realised it reflected the history of the nation. In 1999 I published its image two meters long to put that in a public space, showing that to the public, it’s no longer my private life – it becomes everyone’s experience. I did it on purpose, because they don’t want the trouble so they’re hiding the memory [of Tiananmen] in the dark part of their hearts. One day it will come out.

Do you think China is becoming more progressive and will eventually face up to its past?

Because of the Internet, the world has changed. People can talk online and transfer ideas from one another.

How do Chinese people react to your art?

Chinese prefer colourful beauty – bright colours, beautiful ladies or landscapes. For the Chinese, art is mostly entertainment, something like decoration. My painting is opposite you see. And the Chinese don’t like being criticized. Most Chinese artists are interested in the installation or video art or really fashionable because we want to keep away from the political issue.

Would you ever change your art to fit in or become more accepted in China?

No. I wouldn’t do that; it’s against my principles. It would be a waste of my life.

So how would you want people to remember you as an artist?

“He’s a great man, his art is great.”

Sheng Qi: Post Mao is on until 20 December at the Hua Gallery in London. www.hua-gallery.com

Words: Zing Tsjeng

The post EMERGING: Sheng Qi appeared first on Wonderland.

Do you have a particular philosophy behind Mandarin & General?

Culture is only alive when it is being practiced, and can only survive if it continues to evolve in our lives.

What is it about Mandarin-dress making that made you want to use it as the foundation of your collections?

I’m specifically interested in traditional Chinese garment construction, before Western tailoring techniques were introduced. It’s a lot like folding an origami with fabric. The simplicity of this type of structure has its shortcomings, but has a lot of personality. I’m very curious about how the construction can be applied to other type of garments we are familiar with.

What process do you go through to rediscover the traditional Chinese garments?

I treat traditional Chinese clothes not as costumes but as a type of garment – like how I would treat a button down shirt or jacket. I work on its structural framework with consideration of today’s function and aesthetic.

How did you manage to become an apprentice for a famous Qipao (traditional Chinese dress) master?

Both masters (two of them worked together all their life) care deeply about the heritage of Qipao technique and tradition. I convinced them that although my goal is not to be a traditional Qipao tailor, I had conviction in preserving the heritage in a different way, a way that can possibly shed new light on traditional techniques. They decided to take a chance on me, and at the end, they were impressed by my learning curve. We built such a strong bond that I still visit them every time I go to Taipei.

So are our cultural traditions are something that we should hold on to?
I think it is individual’s choice to hold on to cultural tradition or not. Civilization is built on history and advances from past experiences. I find it benefiting to learn, rediscover, and reinvestigate cultural traditions.

Do you have a particular type of woman in mind when designing your collections?

I admire the young female intellects from early Republic China such as Phyllis Lin and Eileen Chang. Phyllis Lin is the first Chinese female architect, architectural historian, poet, and was one of the most beautiful women in China at the time. Eileen Chang is a talented and free spirited writer who’s was not afraid of being challenging the status quo. Today, my customers are women in their 20s and 30s who are confident, have a great sense of style, and acquired taste in culture – any type of culture.

Do you think that the modern Chinese consumer has inspired a new wave of creativity in China and Taiwan?

The rise of the Chinese consumer certainly inspired and encouraged new waves of creativity because new demands were created. I use my Chinese heritage as foundation, and incorporate everything I find interesting or important as inspiration. For example, my current Fall collection contrasts Victorian and Cubist visual structures. My new Spring 2013 collection was inspired by my concern about the impact of nuclear energy.

www.mandarinandgeneral.com

Words: Christabel Reed

The post Mandarin & General: Peggy Tan and the art of Qipao appeared first on Wonderland.