slow hand design: thai products

‘slow hand design’ exhibition view image © designboom

southeast asia continues to step up its presence on the international design scene and thailand is seeking to become a point of reference for top-quality production. known for the country’s millenary culture abounding with colour, fragrance, crafts and tradition, thailand — in terms of production — is as a source of fine raw materials and excellent crafts.

the department of export promotion (DEP) is making its debut with a curatorial project at the milan design week 2011. the exhibition ‘slow hand design – the heart value of thai contemporary products’ intends to reflect the value of thai product exports that still retain their ancestral DNA inherited through many generations.

exhibition design by B.U.G. design studio image © designboomthe modern furniture products that are displayed in this exhibition, trace their roots via thailand’s cultural infusion. curated by by eggarat wongcharit, a businessman, researcher and designer. it is his intention to reflect how a warm thai design spirit and tradition is infused into various forms, textures, technologies and expressions. in close harmony with the local craft tradition, new thai design is a meeting between expert age-old local art and the ingredients of contemporary design. companies such as deesawat, crafactor, ayodhya and yothaka manifest familiar thai elements in their use of natural materials. products that have won the DEmark award, the country’s most prestigious research and development prize are also on show. exhibition design by B.U.G. design studio.

‘soda chair’ by trimode image © designboom

the exhibition is is a detailed inventory of what is happening today in the thai world of mass production. the pop-culture scenography perfectly expresses the vibrant kaleidoscope of typical local features such as food and conviviality, among other distinctive aesthetics. the exhibition is comprised of 4 sections: 1. the glory suvarnabhumi (southeast asia) and its cultural evolution through trade, religions and beliefs. 2. cultural evolution in relationship with modern thai design. 3. maximalism vs minimalism that explains how the movements of thai crafts are conformed in the global furniture design business. 4. the future of thai design that reflects the potential of design development.

natural materials are the ingredients of contemporary design

‘slow hand design’ explains how the evolution of local, small- and medium-sized companies and the combination of modern technology with superb craftsmanship has given rise to a new production of contemporary high quality design.

‘i-kon diamond cut’ by stone & steel image © designboom