Award-winning designer's exhibition opens in Beijing

Jeff Dayu Shi, an American designer, has won the Red Dot Design Award, one of the top three design awards in the world, four times. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Xiao Lan, a bamboo lover, had a pleasant surprise when she visited Jinbao Place, a shopping mall in downtown Beijing, on Thursday.

"I happened to see an exhibition of novel bamboo wares designed by Jeff Dayu Shi, a famous American designer. They are both works of art and practical use such as screen chairs, cabinets，the dining cart and clothing rack cart," said the middle-aged poet from Sichuan province.

Entitled "Dematerialize/Rematerialize," Shi's exhibition opened on Wednesday, concurrent to the start of this year's Beijing Design Week, and will end on October 31.

The theme is intended to explore the Chinese people's thoughts on concealment and privacy since ancient times, and the extent of concealment and divulgence in the thousands of years that followed – the doctrine of the mean and non-ostentatiousness as life philosophy, Shi said.

Through his works Shi expresses how the real sage does not care about the quiet forest up on the mountain, and is instead able to live in the middle of a bustling precinct without being restrained, preserving the freedom of the mind, experts said.

Visitors to the exhibition are impressed with screen chairs on display.

Screen chairs are an innovative combination of China's oldest furniture, screens and Zen chairs. Through simple and concise lattice arrangements, concealment and divulgence coexist within the design, Shi said.

Attic frames are divided into three specially measured parts – two on the sides and one on the rear. The parallel arrangement of the bamboo slats casts out a subtle and looming visual effect under alternating lights and shadows.

While three sides of the partition panels resemble the image of bamboo, the enclosed internal space exemplifies privacy and tranquility of the contemporary urban civilization, Shi said.

When extended, the screen spreads out gracefully – with the rear wall giving out a definite sense of space – and turns into a private, personal space when folded, he said.

Born in Taiwan in 1964, Shi loves to incorporate bamboo and other natural materials in his designs. He was honored with the Red Dot Design Award four years in a row from 2009 to 2012 for designs including the bamboo chairs Jun-Zi and Qin-Jian.

The Red Dot Design Award is one of the top three design awards in the world.

The screen chair designed by Jeff Dayu Shi. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]