Art is much more than the essence of culture. With spiritual values embodied in a tangible form, art is an integrated whole of creativity, techniques, as well as the creator's unique ideas and philosophies. Art is a mirror of the zeitgeist and the fruition of traditional culture; it sets trends for the future. In this issue of SIGNED, we begin with applied art and explore how certain traditional art and culture can be conserved and innovated through an angle that is more relevant to everyday life. The design studio "L'impression du temps" is founded by Herman Lee, an architect passionate about the millennia-old tradition of Chinese formal wear. He has conducted in-depth research and applied his superior skills in coding and algorithms. Collaborating with "Handmade by Royce", he has recreated a series of renewed ancient formal wear. Unquestionably, Lee has a one-of-a-kind perspective on the conservation and innovation of culture. Founded by cultural entrepreneur Adrian Cheng, the K11 Craft & Guild Foundation (KCG) strives to conserve and revive traditional Chinese craftsmanship that may soon be lost. It is committed to establishing a cultural ecosystem for crafts and creating social value that the public can share. KCG sponsors a series of traditional crafts that comprise both Chinese elements and western interpretations. Traditional crafts are enlivened by becoming part of contemporary living. Guangcai is a project sponsored by KCG. Through various novel creative, operation and promotion channels, a strong case for bringing traditional Chinese crafts to the world and into the future is established. Veteran advertising creative Leonie Ki founded the Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble. The music of the ensemble is inspired by the murals of Dunhuang grottoes, which takes the mural art and music culture to the next level. By performing Dunhuang music and putting forward a comprehensive education programme, the ensemble strives to promote the art and culture of Dunhuang, nurture talents, and popularise Chinese music in a creative and effective way. This would in turn cultivate an interest in Chinese culture among the public, in particular the youth, such that the message to educate and conserve the world cultural heritage of China can be spread throughout the city. CONSERVING AND INNOVATING ART AND CULTURAL HERITAGE THEME 藝術文化的 傳承與創新 12 Text by Patrick Chiu
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