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Is there a specific Chinese
style or chinoiserie element in
your work?
I agree with some people that a
so-called “Chinese style” does
not actually exist. Chinoiserie is a
recreation based on the understanding
of “Chinese style” by foreigners. So I
deliberately do not add chinoiserie
elements just because I am Chinese.
What kind of creativity has
inspired you?
My interest in art was sparked
by the fairy-tale storybooks
placed on my bedside table by my
mother. I read fairy tales from all over
the world, along with Greek and
After graduating fromGuangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and
going on to exhibit her paintings at the 54th Venice Biennale,
this 27-year-old artist recently moved back to her hometown
of Shenyang and plunged herself into the curious world of
doll making. As imaginative as it is bizarre – her recent line is
titled “Elfish Baby” – her rich creativity is matched by vaulting
ambition. “I want to make the most beautiful dolls in China,”
Dongxu says. “And yes, they are all made in China!”
When did you first become
conscious of that double-
edged phrase “made in China”?
I first heard it frommy friends
when they travelled abroad,
trying to buy some souvenirs but
found that they had “made in China”
tags. I often feel people refer to fake
goods when they hear that phrase, but
it’s not completely true. Still, I often
wonder why the Chinese are not
creating more of their own products
–
after all, we have so much talent.
What are your thoughts on
China’s design reputation?
I really love some of the clothing
brands and handicrafts by
certain Chinese designers, especially
the independent brands sold on
Taobao – China’s version of eBay.
Starting out as a painter, what
made you turn to doll making?
I read a book by Yoshida Ryð,
one of the leading doll-making
artists in Japan, and was drawn to this
strange new world. But I soon found
many doll makers in China being far
too absorbed by the manga style, and
that all of their dolls copied the
Japanese fashion trends. That [gave
me the impetus to try] something
different and recognisable.
Artist and doll maker
Roman mythology. I imagined the
pictures and images when I read every
sentence. Manga, and the paintings of
Gustav Klimt and Alphonse Maria
Mucha, also exert a huge influence on
my artwork. And recently, I have
studied traditional Manchurian
clothes and headwear, which will be
used on my new dolls.
What’s the plan for the next
few years?
I will continue painting and
making dolls. I will combine
these two artforms better and display
the aesthetics of painting on dolls.
[
My goal is] to make the most unique
China doll!
City:
Shenyang
Designer:
Sun Dongxu
HALF THE CITY
Opened in 2012 and run by designer Guo Ting, this small shop featuring handmade leather
products doubles as a handwork classroom where clients learn to design and make their own leather products,
illustrations or clay work. Reservations required.
17
Bajing Jie, Shenyang; site.douban.com/142788
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