research project

i'm slowly collecting images of the paper replicas of things that are commonly for sale here in hong kong. they are meant to be burnt for deceased family members - a way of looking after them in the afterlife. i'm particularly interested in the custom-made objects and how they're made. there's a set on my flickr that i'll be adding to with photos of paper replicas and a few videos of them being made. some of the things people get made for their loved ones are really sweet and sad; a pet, a skateboard, a six pack of a favourite beer...but it seems like it would be pretty comforting to still look after them in such a practical way.

these three servants come with a house.

meiji girls in bathing suits

many more here.

i'm back + oh my goodness aki! + exhibition

i've been in sydney and surrounds having just a lovely time. back in hong kong i find this beautiful new years card from aki matsumoto waiting for me. really, everything aki makes is beautiful.

90 people including aki and i have contributed new years cards to an exhibition thats up at the moment at mizunosora, (5-25-2 nishiogikita, suginami-ku, tokyo). the exhibition was organised by nobuko yamamoto and includes collage, calligraphy, letterpress, woodblock print, photos and drawings. looks like this:

also, have a look at the post up on my sister's blog at the moment; a giant doily. i want one.

genki?

my lovely friend, the talented designer nobuko yamamoto and i have started a new blog. it's a hong kong - tokyo correspondance. i'll write in japanese and nobuko will write in english - this way we won't forget each other's language and will still be able to speak to each other when we see each other next year!
like our previous collaborative blog, tokyofriday, genki? will most likely be all about making things, design, books, paper, printing, coffee, cake and lovely things since that's what nobuko and like to talk about. it will be full of things i would like to show my friend if she were here.

sham shui po postcards

maggie chau made these great post cards of stores in the sham shui po neighbourgood of hong kong as part of a protest against the redevelopment of the area. they make a lovely portrait of the neighbourhood; i'd like to see them collected in a book. you can see more drawings of storefronts and read the interviews with the store owners here. read more about the protest here.