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Design

The First Annual International Bamboo Architectural Biennale Explores Material’s Use in Contemporary Design

Last fall the very first International Bamboo Architecture Biennale premiered in the small village of Baoxi, China, placing eighteen permanent works by twelve international architects within the traditionally agriculture-centered town. The biennale, curated by artist Ge Qiantao and architect George Kunihiro, reveals how the traditional material can be incorporated into contemporary design. The plant serves as the base to new buildings in the village including a youth hostel and a ceramics museum, which Baoxi hopes to draw tourism to through supplementary infrastructures such as a visitors building, hotel, and learning center. (via My Modern Met)

Design

The Shaolin Flying Monks Temple Blasts Monks Into the Sky Above a Mountainside Amphitheater

Perched on the Songshan mountain in rural Henan, China, this new temple designed by Latvian architecture studio Mailītis Architects brings a whole new perspective to the legendary Shaolin monks: specifically an aerial perspective. The recently completed Shaolin Flying Monks Temple contains a one-of-a-kind levitation pavilion that houses a vertical wind tunnel designed in part by Aerodium that blasts participants toward the sky in the center of a 230-seat amphitheater.

“The concept is to tell the history of Zen and Kung-Fu through artistic performances and architectural image of the building itself,” says Mailītis. “It serves as a metaphor for mountain and trees and was inspired by Songshan mountain – the natural environment for monks to develop their skills.”

You can see more photos of the new landmark building on Mailītis Architects’ website.

 

Art

Drawings on Discarded Trash Left in Public Places by Artist Wenyi

Chinese artist Wenyi wanders the streets of his home in Dali, Yunnan Province, China, gathering bits of discarded cardboard to use as his canvas. Wenyi then takes the bits of trash he finds and draws the surroundings on each object. The small pieces range from quick black and white sketches to colorful drawings of entire homes, each a snapshot of his hometown. After sketching the scenery Wenyi places his completed works back into their original locations, imbuing the everyday refuse with art. “I want people to see art in our everyday life,” said Wenyi to Bored Panda, “even if it’s on wasted paper.” (via Booooooom, Bored Panda)

 

Photography

Clouds, Rivers, and Mountains Converge in Breathtaking Landscapes of Guilin, China

Perched high atop the city of Guilin, China, photographer Kyon.J had an extraordinary view of the Li River as it winds through an unusually steep mountainscape. Early in the morning the area is often filled with fog or haze trapped in the mountains, certainly a dream scenario for any landscape photographer. You can see more of Kyon.J’s work in her portfolio where she also shares equally impressive photos of her native Japan.

Art Music

Portraits of Chinese Rockstars Imagined as Monumental Temples

Chinese artist DU Kun has long harbored a reverence for music and rockstars. A musician himself, the Beijing-based painter is awed by the creation of music, aspects of fame, and the intangible aura of being a revered rockstar, something he tries to capture is these temple-like portraits of famous Chinese recording artists titled “Revels of the Rock Gods”.

Each oil painting depicts the face of a musician as if it were a temple built in devotion to a god and borrows elements from Buddhist and Confucian architecture. Eyes are depicted as windows, tree branches or waterfalls as flowing hair, and the surface of skin as ornate wood facades gilded with gold.

Kun is currently exhibiting the “Revels of the Rock Gods” series as part of his first solo show in Japan at Mizuma Art Gallery in Tokyo through February 13, 2016. You can explore close-up details plus an archive of Kun’s work on his website. (via Hi-Fructose)

Photography

An Ancient Chinese Ginkgo Tree Drops an Ocean of Golden Leaves

This towering ginkgo tree is located within the walls of the Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple in the Zhongnan Mountains in China. Every autumn the green leaves on the 1,400-year-old tree turn bright yellow and fall into a golden heap on the temple grounds drawing tourists from the surrounding area. You can see more photos here and here. (via F*ck Yeah Chinese Garden)