Giftionery Show's Aboriginal Art Pavilion Sheds Light on Creative Culture

The Taipei International Giftionery Show, organized by the TAITRA this April, saw the Taiwan Design Center set up the “Aboriginal Art Pavilion” to highlight artworks and other creations by aboriginal designers, whose handiworks are often relegated to the roles of knickknacks and curios for tourists in Taiwan.

But philological and archeological research show that the aborigines in Taiwan are Austronesians who have been living on the island for millennia before the Chinese encroached in the 17th century. Since then, the aborigines have been more or less assimilated into the Chinese culture, with most having adopted Chinese surnames.

Creative Culture

Likely due to an easy-going tendency, many aboriginal tribes still live in the remote parts of Taiwan detached from the hectic pace of urban life. Some aboriginal artisans still create handicrafts and artwork rich in indigenous flavors, perpetuating a cultural heritage that the Taiwanese government wishes to promote as a promising industry.

Tasked by the Ministry of Economic Affairs to promote creative cultural industries in Taiwan, the Taiwan Design Center categorizes aboriginal handicraft as one of the 13 categories of creative cultures on the island.

A desk lamp that attracted ample attention at the Aboriginal Art Pavilion was displayed at the Milay Workshop, headed by designer Milay or Chou Meiling, who is from the Puyuma tribe in Taitung County, eastern Taiwan. Dubbed “Harvest Dream,” the desk lamp embodies Milay's love of the rice fields in her hometown, with rows of oval shapes on the shade symbolizing rice grains during harvest season.

Also inspired by the golden sunset of her hometown, Milay created a shade of dark and light reds that, with the light turned on, mimic the glorious tones of the setting sun.

Sentimental

So attached is her heart to the rice fields and sunset of her hometown, Milay has even written a poem for the desk lamp Harvest Dream, in which she reminisces about the rural landscape on the other side of the mountain, how she treasures such scenes despite being away from home. Simply, Milay says that the desk lamp was created to fondly remind her of home, every time she turns it on nightly.

Apparently many, especially those passionate about rural scenery, also find appealing Milay's practical way to bring closer the aesthetics, emotions of home in this desk lamp, based on the volume of interest shown since its launch.

A designer with an unexpectedly active past, Milay was a member on Taiwan's national women's soccer team, but chose artistic design as career due to interest and talent in this field. Having studied interior design in Japan for five years and worked there for three years, Milay came to Taiwan in 2006 and founded the Milay Workshop.

Another of Milay's creations shown at the Taipei Giftionery Show is “Wondering,” a lighting product. But the designer departed from the traditionally static aesthetics of the Puyuma tribe, instead opting to devise a lively flying image on the shade.

Icyang Workshop

The Icyang Workshop at the Aboriginal Art Pavilion displayed works by the Taroko tribe. Tapping the well-known knitting and fabric making techniques of the Taroko aborigines in Hualien County on the eastern coast of Taiwan, workshop founder Kao Shieliang, also a Taroko native, showcased a range of handicrafts at Taipei Giftionery Show.

According to Kao, artisans, heavily influenced by big, round eyes as major facial feature of the aborigines, use rhombus as the most frequent shape in aboriginal artwork for it represents aboriginal ancestors who bless their offspring and living environment.” Taroko aborigines religiously worship ancestors as gods for their blessing.

The Icyang Workshop impressed visitors at the Giftionery Show with a desk lamp featuring red rhombus pattern with beige lighting color. Red and beige are incidentally the most popular colors in Taroko-made fabrics.

Reducing Labor Cost

With the high labor cost of handmade fabrics that tend to narrow the potential buyer group, Kao has tried several means to reduce labor cost as automated production of fabrics, saying aboriginal handicrafts are considered expensive nowadays. Also due to advancement of fabric printing techniques, Kao has traditional Taroko fabric patterns printed on PP plastic sheet for use in lighting development.

“We provide both higher-priced handmade fabrics and lower-priced PP sheet as material for light shades,” says Kao, who once worked at a trading company and knows order volume varies according to price.

Despite being an aboriginal designer, Kao has the ambition to broaden the appeal of her artwork to widen its commercial potential.