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Chi-Tsung, Cheng / Founder, C. T. Cheng Gallery Ltd.

"A Journey of a Thousand Miles Starts with One Step; A Tree beyond One’s Arm-span Starts with a Sprout Reflections on the First Daxi International Wood Furniture Craft and Design Competition"

The First Daxi International Wood Furniture Craft and Design Competition was a success, thanks to the committed participants and the attention of the public! This event is more than just a competition: it is a meeting point for traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design innovations. Taiwan has had no lack of design competitions in the past. The National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute’s Taiwan Craft Award has been held under various names since 1993; the Yilan County Government held a “Yilan Chair” competition between 2013 and 2018; the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, MOA also hosted the Taiwan Wood Product Design Contest (2021) and Taiwan Wood Furniture and Cultural and Creative Design Competition (2022). These competitions all had varying focuses, such as calling for submissions to blend multiple crafts and materials, to design a wood chair for small children, or to use domestically produced wood. In contrast, this Daxi competition focuses on highlighting traditional craftsmanship while encouraging innovative designs—a highly commendable undertaking. I was a judge for the final round of the competition, and I was greatly delighted by the rich diversity of the submissions, as well as the level of sophistication of the submitted works. I also saw several trends in the competition, such as the use of wood produced domestically in Taiwan. Many submissions used materials such as Cryptomeria and Taiwania from Taiwan, which were widely used as building material in the past. If they can become popularized in furniture making, this could mean a drop in carbon footprint in the production process, while spotlighting Taiwan’s rich forest resources. In a time when carbon trading, carbon fees and carbon taxes have become prioritized topical discussions, the use of domestic wood will become a more and more prominent design element. However, locally-harvested wood has different characteristics from imported wood, and identifying these unique features and highlighting their potential can be a challenge that requires the concerted efforts of more professionals.

Another observation I made, is the use of different materials: wood is paired with leather, plastic, acrylic, or metal. I believe this is a positive development, because furniture is made to be used—it needs to be functional, and sometimes the best way to achieve this, is to use materials other than wood. Integrating other materials is a good way to create a good piece of furniture that is sensible and practical. I am very grateful to Taiwan’s wood furniture makers for their enthused response to the competition. We received a great number of remarkable submissions, but unfortunately not everyone could receive an award. We eventually chose 16 winners out of all the submissions, consisting of three cabinets and wall lamps and thirteen other pieces, ranging from benches, tables, to chairs. The competition also included a youth division to encourage young furniture makers. In all honesty, the youth division submissions could match their adult counterparts in excellence. There were several outstanding youth division submissions that showed a keen observation for the needs of everyday life, and I find that extremely heartening. For entrants that did not win, do not feel discouraged. One disappointment is not the end for you. Keep working hard and you’ll find your niche!

This year’s competition also included a Special Traditional Award, which I think is a landmark feature, given that the organizers are based in Daxi. This year’s Special Traditional Award winner is the Wude Chair, whose back and frame designs are inspired by the irimoya-style roof of the Daxi Martial Arts Dojo. The transformation process was thoughtful, for the designer must incorporate roof design elements and turn them into parts of the chair, making these elements an indispensable part of the whole, instead of a mere appropriation, or a downgraded mimicry. I hope this encourages creators to take a deep dive into traditional culture for new inspirations and design potential, then translate these findings and —most importantly—imbue them with the creator’s own creative intent.

Here I humbly present several pieces of advice to future entrants. When participating in such a competition, you must heed the execution of your design, its proportions and symmetry. The choice of material is just as crucial as your craft skills. This affects not just the aesthetic value of your work, but also its practicality and durability. In addition, I encourage entrants to apply their creative thinking into their designs, particularly in functionality and versatility. Whether we’re talking about tables, chairs, benches, cabinets, beds, hangers, or other small pieces, you should think about how these pieces can address the needs of modern living. I encourage you all to observe contemporary lifestyle experiences to find fresh insights, and create pieces, making new classics for modern life. I also would like to see everyone embrace new production technologies, tools, and materials, such as CNC and 3D printing. It’s by introducing these new things that wood furniture can continue to evolve and develop.

I also have some hopes and suggestions for future editions of this competition. First, the goal of the competition should be clearer and more specific. This could be achieved by establishing a standing advisory committee composed of professionals from all sectors, such as teaching, design, manufacturing, and marketing. This advisory committee could help set a clear direction for the competition, and make adjustments according to the needs of the market and the industry. Next, promotion activities that make Daxi the wood art capital of Taiwan should be launched systematically to target the international market. Effective international campaigns would attract more overseas entrants to the competition. Additionally, the organizers could host more online and face-to-face events to publicize the spirit of the competition, the rules, improving transparency and attracting more entrants. There could also be adjustments to the judging rules, including a larger and more diverse pool of judges, to ensure that the results are fair and impartial. Finally, we should be thankful for every submission and provide them with better visibility. Perhaps the shortlisted and winning works can be shown in furniture exhibitions in Daxi as well as elsewhere in Taiwan and abroad, encouraging more newcomers to join the contest. Winning entrants could be offered solo exhibitions at the Daxi Wood Art Ecouseum, thus strengthening the ties between the community and these furniture designers.

Over the past decade or so, I’ve been a part of Taiwan’s woodcraft development service along with my company, C. T. Cheng Gallery Ltd. The industry has grown mature, and many people are taking the leap from amateur hobbyist to professional, launching their own brands and even holding annual shows! Consumers are growing more willing to buy Taiwanese wood furniture. After many years of stagnation, we can now look forward to a revival for Taiwan’s wood furniture industry! At this critical juncture, the Daxi International Wood Furniture Craft and Design Competition could play an important role in directing and facilitating the development of wood furniture in Taiwan. My best wishes for great competition successes down the road, and best of luck to the organizers, the wood furniture industry, and to us all!

▶C. T. Cheng Gallery Ltd. Official Website https://woood.tw/

▶ This article is included in "The First Daxi International Wood Furniture Craft and Design Competition Exhibition Journal". We warmly invite you to purchase for further reading.

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