Collaborative Design for Charity | 為慈善共創設計

Description:

The 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake has been a huge disaster in human history and it was as well an unprecedented catastrophe for the giant pandas living in the wild. After the earthquake, a group of young artists volunteered to go to Wolong for rescue work. They encountered many pandas that had escaped the disaster. They were hungry because their natural habitat was devastated after the earthquake. One of the pandas lying on the ground seemed to be injured, but it still stayed strong. It stood up and tried to stretch the claws to reach the bamboos outside the fence. This scene has been permanently fixed in the minds of these artists and since become the inspiration of HeArt Panda.

In its ten-year establishment, HeArt Panda started in its hometown Chengdu, and has since developed into a global icon for charity, spreading the Chinese spirit of ‘strength, bravery, love and tolerance’ along the way. HeArt Panda collaborates with different organisations with its iconic panda figurines, often inviting artists or renowned individuals to create customised versions, which are then auctioned for charity causes. Through「DesignXcel」, HeArt Panda offered its 8-inch version figurine as a platform for collaboration. The six design freshmasonries have utilized it as a vessel to address different cultural or social topics.

Through the collaboration, Tanisha created her panda with silk dyed in traditional Indian colours. With the aim to increase awareness of the Kamasutra as a symbol for the empowerment of female identity, and to address the misconception of the writings and ideologies behind sexuality, which Indian society forbids. Velika explores Mother Teresa’s globally renowned benevolence, and what malpractice and ethical concerns may have occurred under her watch. The concept is expressed through the application of the Christian cross, and materials including wools, tweed and customised sequins and warped fabric manipulations. Velika’s panda was jointly produced with Serena.

Sze Wing’s HeArt Panda features the dominant colour of blue, which she uses to express the feeling of displacement one might experience when life feels disoriented. Yet the ‘stars’ (represented as precious pearls) exist to offer one hope even in the worst conditions. Sin Mei’s panda was given the title ‘The Birth’, in which she added a large panel around it to host a puddle of dried wax. She placed the bare panda in the centre to recreate the moment that it was brought to the world. Nicole created a miniature version of her fashion collection ‘Seven’, exploring the contrast between imaginary and humanistic ideology by using dynamic silhouettes and fabrications.

2008年的汶川大地震，人類歷史上的一場巨大災難，對生活在野外的大熊貓同是一場空前浩劫。震後，一群年輕的藝術家作為志願者去臥龍賑災，遇到了很多躲過劫難的熊貓，因地震後無人照顧而飢餓難耐。其中一隻熊貓躺在地上，似乎受了傷，但還是強撐著站起來用兩隻爪子扒著圍欄，努力地伸爪去取圍欄外的竹子。這一幕被永遠地定格在這群藝術家的腦海裡。回到成都後，藝術家們以此為原型，創作出了藝術熊貓HeArt Panda。

十年流轉，HeArt Panda從它的家鄉成都出發，後來成為一個全球知名的慈善企業，宣揚「堅強、勇敢、友愛、包容」的中國精神。HeArt Panda利用其標誌性的熊貓像與不同的機構合作，經常邀請藝術家或知名人士創作定制的版本，然後將作品拍賣以作慈善用途。通過《設計列陣》，HeArt Panda善用其8吋高的熊貓像作為合作平台。六位設計新鮮人就以此作為一個點出不同文化或社會議題的器皿。

通過合作，Tanisha Haldia運用以傳統印度色彩染製的絲綢製作了她的熊貓。作品旨在提高人們對《慾經》的認識，使其成為賦予女性身份權力的象徵，並澄清對印度社會禁止的與性有關的著作和意識形態的誤解。 Velika Hartono探究了德蘭修女在國際間知名的仁慈性格，以及在她的管理下可能出現的瀆職和道德問題。這一概念通過運用基督教十字架和包括羊毛、花呢羊毛、定制的閃光亮片以及彎曲的織物在內的材料表達了出來。 Velika的熊貓是與陳雪芯共同製作的。

吳思穎的HeArt Panda以藍色作為主導色彩，用來表達當生活迷失方向時可能會遇到的錯位感。然而，即使在最惡劣的條件下，「星星」（以珍貴的珍珠代表）的存在也能提供一種希望。吳蒨媚的熊貓被命名為「The Birth」，她在熊貓下面添加了一個大面板，以便她放上乾蠟。她將上面空無一物的熊貓放在中心，以重現它被帶到世界的那一刻。石卉林創作了她的時裝系列「Se7en」的縮小版，通過動態剪影和虛構物來突出想像和人文意識形態之間的反差。

Design Graduate:
CHAN Suet Sum, Serena
HALDIA Tanisha
HARTONO Velika Hilary
NG Sinmei
NG Sze Wing
SHEK Wai Lam, Nicole

Collaborator:
HeArt Panda

Email:
serena0038@gmail.com
tanishaa.haldia1995@gmail.com
hilaryvelika@gmail.com
sin.ngsinmei@gmail.com
celiang96@gmail.com
swlammm@gmail.com

School:
Raffles Design Institute (Hong Kong)

Project Description