Since the 1960s, traditional crafts played a key role in Hong Kong’s light industry in terms of local cultural identity development and as an economic factor. In the tradition of the crafts, the craft masters would pass on skills to their apprentices, thus passing on Hong Kong’s material and visual culture. Nowadays, the numbers of craftsmen are decreasing due to old age, retirement and the impact of modern technology. Theoretical knowledge of crafts may be preserved and continued through its detailed documentation, however tangible material culture and techniques can only be passed on from person to person, and only thus their continuation in the future may be ensured.  

One opportunity for traditional crafts to transcend into the next generation through their adaptation and appropriation to develop new creative opportunities and forms of expression. It is therefore the aim of this course to allow students to learn traditional craft techniques and to engage with the craftsmanship involved. Students will use traditional craft skills and materials to inspire new individual and innovative possibilities. During the process, students should observe and investigate unique skills and their characteristics, and understand material application. This investigative study and immersive experience can enhance the students’ sensibility towards materials, tools and crafts, and open new interdisciplinary opportunities.