Li-Hai, Yiu / Preserver of the Important Traditional Craft of joinery, The Ministry of Culture

"Trending now: partnership with craftsmenfor co-prosperity"

Occasionally, I find myself serving as a judge for design competitions, driven by a need to see more talent. Although not every winner will find success, I consider the competition a triumph if only a few stay committed to their calling. Talent development is hard work, needing many requisites: creativity, leadership, innovation, market foresights, and more. Designers must find their signature style to build a niche market, and bring their work to the world.

The industry now is different from what it used to be. Mass production is necessary to lower costs; the designers must also ensure the aesthetics and marketability of their pieces to attract buyers, so as to inspire more aspirants to join the trade. Nonetheless, profitability remains the greatest challenge: if the craftsmen cannot generate income from their work and improve their finances, they will eventually lose steam to create.

Several of this year’s winning submissions display a modern, sleek craftsmanship. Contemporary design is all about minimalism, contrasting sharply with the intricate, complex design aesthetic of my era. A good designer must also be a visionary cognizant of their time, in order to stay viable.

Life is more than just doing one task: we must also be jacks of all trades for our businesses to stay viable. Many people nowadays focus only on what they enjoy, while overlooking business sustainability: assessing market trends, purchasing better equipment to improve their skills, leveraging technology to help save time and costs. Winning in a design competition is a great boost for a young creator, but it takes much more to encourage that talent to bloom. We need to keep up with the trend of time for prolonged business viability.

▶ 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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