‘manuscript (seats of poetry)’ by paul cocksedge studio, an installation for beijing design week 2011

the winning proposal for an installation at the china millennium monument during beijing design week 2011, ‘manuscript (seats of poetry)’ celebrates literature, industry, and culture in a large-scale sculpture by london-based designers paul cocksedge studio (partners paul cocksedge and joana pinho).

measuring 20 meters long by 6.7 meters high, ‘manuscript’ consists of several undulated red steel ‘pages’, each inscribed with poems from both chinese and english sources. the sheets can be wandered through both day and night, as well as used by visitors for seating and reflection. the design celebrates the chinese invention of manuscript paper, the very basis of global literature and communication, and highlights in particular the exchange between beijing and london, which is the guest city of this year’s design week festival.

the chinese and british poems themselves were selected by dr. tian yuan tan of the university of london and writer and broadcaster gunnar pettersson respectively. the chinese texts treat the idea of man’s dialogue with nature, while pettersson selected the experimental works of the english romantics as a counterpoint. tian yuan tan reflects:

‘in poetry, as in design, we are looking at the process of creation as an expression of one’s inner thoughts, as well as one’s response to the outer world. nature is omnipresent in chinese poetry. this selection of classical chinese poems aims to capture the beauty of creation in man’s various responses to and dialogues with nature. it is intriguing to see how ancient chinese poetry may generate new meanings and readings in their latest abode in this 21st century installation.‘

paul cocksedge studio: manuscript (seats of poetry) for beijing design week 2011 full frontal view

paul cocksedge studio: manuscript (seats of poetry) for beijing design week 2011 detail of the engraved steel pages

paul cocksedge studio: manuscript (seats of poetry) for beijing design week 2011 full rear view

paul cocksedge studio: manuscript (seats of poetry) for beijing design week 2011 night view

—

from september 26th through october 3rd, 2011, designers and thinkers from across the world gather in beijing, china for the first annual beijing design week and beijing international design triennial. exhibitions, conferences, workshops and lectures across the city address the theme of ‘design beijing – good design’ for the nine-day event, which looks to transform the ubiquity of ‘made in china’ to ‘designed in china’.

beijing design week is presented by the ministry of culture, ministry of education, the china federation of literary and art circles, and the municipal government of beijing, in collaboration this year with tsinghua university.