imitation imitation…breaking the law


As you might have noticed we have a strong interest for narratives about making and makers in this blog. We also have a strong interest in exploring and thinking about techniques on graphic improvisation. The exhibition Crafting Narrative at the Pitzhanger Manor Gallery, London ticks all of the boxes above.

Artworks, films, photography and texts managed to tell us the stories of the exposed objects by uniting different aspects of them, with a non-linear narrative way, like a collage. Among the stories told above the work of Zhenhan Hao “imitation imitation” drew our attention:

imprografika for crafts narratives exposition 2014 4s“Imitation, imitation by Zhenhan Hao is a series of improvised products produced with craftspeople in the Dafen and Jingdezhen villages in China that explores personal imagination and creativity in relation to social, political and economic implications of Chinese imitation culture.”  

imprografika for crafts narratives exposition 2014  6sA pair of shoes and a suit made by mixing different brands logos and styles manage to break up the sovereignty of the very same brands and styles they incorporate in their design.

imprografika for crafts narratives exposition 2014 2s
Imitation art is a huge industry in China, where entire villages are given over to reproducing the works of masters. Above: a Van Gogh expert imitator with a portrait of his bedroom done in the Dutch master’s style.

Find more about anti-design.


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