The new exhibition in the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam challenges our preconceptions about the term ‘Made in China’, which is also the appropriate name of the exhibition. This is mainly due to globally renowned designers who are playing an increasingly important role in the fashion landscape and therefore serve as the pillars of the exhibition, alongside areas where China is often biased; such as copying and mass production.
One of those designers was Susan Fang, a London-based Chinese innovator, who was at the exhibition to: firstly perform a short show at the opening event and secondly present a piece of her own work as part of the exhibition. For Fang, the opportunity to do this was necessary to accurately portray the innovations behind Chinese creation, especially through the lens of younger generations.
“It was great to be part of this beautiful story. The curators chose me to represent perhaps the more innovative part of China’s design development. I feel honored because there is so much beauty in the culture and philosophy of China’s rich history. That really cultivates us as young Chinese people who love creativity, a love that is so pure. It is a privilege to use that love in this way, to create clothes and show that Chinese design can still be very creative and innovative,” Fang told FashionUnited at the exhibition.
‘There is so much beauty in the culture and philosophy of China’s rich history…’
The piece Fang is presenting at Made in China is from her FW23 collection and was initially presented at London Fashion Week as a showpiece, misting water onto a bed of rose petals that the model walked across. In Rotterdam, however, the dress is shown without the large structure underneath – “it’s not there because you need a big machine and motor,” Fang indicated – but its presence still underlines the value the designer finds in prioritizing innovation.
In her studio, Fang works closely with the brand’s lead designer, her mother, who Fang noted had a “good talent for color” and was smart and dexterous with her hands. It is a sense of sentimentality that is palpable throughout most of the exhibition, where almost all of the items on display exude an overarching personal feeling, which contradicts the idea of “mass production” that is often imposed on China in a more general way .
The intention was to initiate a change in mentality, as expressed in the opening speech of the content director of the World Museum, Wayne Modest, who said that the museum’s focus was actually on “highlighting the many conscious and unconscious actions that shape the world around us.” Modest continues: “These actions, as the exhibition suggests, begin with imagination, and we shape that imagination in wood, clay, stone and wires, and often with love. This exhibition is therefore an ode to making. It is an ode to the many objects we make every day. But it is also an invitation to think about making as a communal act, an inclusive act, a democratic act.”
‘Making as a communal act, an inclusive act, a democratic act…’
From the beginning of the exhibition, Modest’s words are placed in context. In the first room, visitors are immediately ushered into a space surrounded by projections of human hands creating intricate products, highlighting the sometimes slow and thought-provoking nature of creation, a process often not associated with Chinese production methods. From here you are then led to the beginning of a timeline, which provides a deeper insight into the long history of Chinese craftsmanship and further highlights the expansive nature of what it means to be ‘Made in China’.
It should be noted that this exhibition is not focused on fashion, but instead shows the sheer scale of Chinese creation, with fashion being only a small, yet important part. In addition to a selection of textiles, historic garments and designer pieces, you will also discover tea sets from Shanghai dating from 1895, earrings from the Nvikh and Oroch people of southeastern Siberia, who traded with their Chinese neighbors, and paper-cut landscapes as a traditional art form, and many more other things.
It becomes clear in the second room, where the topic ‘Materials and techniques’ is discussed, that a theme remains in terms of layout. Objects are delicately displayed as in a workshop, most of them in glass cases on bare wooden structures. Interaction is encouraged in some areas. For example, it is possible to feel different types of brushes, from a brush made of squirrel hair to brushes made of bear, pig and weasel hair. Text is also displayed in both English and Dutch, occasionally hanging from paper scrolls, in keeping with the theme.
In the ‘Materials and techniques’ room we get our first look at clothing. One of the oldest garments, in a glass display case, is a beaded bamboo shirt that was made between 1890 and 1920 but was worn as an undershirt in the Ming Dynasty (1368 to the early 20th century). Silk is of course also highlighted and given its own corner where coats, decorated rolls of fabric and shoes are kept. A standout piece here is a pair of heels designed by Denise Huang, who was inspired by costumes in the imperial collections of China’s Forbidden City, featuring silk chrysanthemums.
Prejudices about China are turned upside down
While the exhibition remains relatively light-hearted up to this point, as it transitions to a section on production the viewer is confronted with the question: “At what cost?” Here the dark side of China’s rapidly growing manufacturing industry is explored, albeit in a limited setting. Through video art and photography, the exhibition aims to show the impact on people and the environment that this explosive growth of the industry brings, while the direct words of workers working under these conditions also aim to highlight the problems this subject entails. This includes, for example, a work by China’s first openly gay poet Mu Cao, which touches on the human rights violations that are intertwined with jobs in the manufacturing sector. Cao’s poems can only be published unofficially in China.
Elsewhere, however, the existing ideas behind ‘Made in China’ are being turned on their head. The next section, ‘The Art of Copying’, attempts to do just this. Rather than seeing copying as something negative, the exhibition explores the concept as if it were an art form, one that China has become famous for. It is worth remembering that before the rise of counterfeiting, imitation was a form of paying tribute to past masters, as seen in a Song dynasty (960 to 1279) practice that has come to be known as antiquarian bookshop. This is just one of the forms of imitation explored in the exhibition, and there are many that do not have negative connotations. Copying is thus explored through a Chinese lens, addressing the concepts of what is essentially an ancient tradition of replicating objects in tribute to their original creator.
However, it would be difficult to avoid the topic of counterfeiting as this element is a real problem in today’s fashion industry. The Wereldmuseum does not ignore this. A small corner of the maze of wooden stands is dedicated to these forgeries, but this is framed under the title ‘creative counterfeiting’ or ‘Shanzhai’. Here are a Peppa Pig “Gucci” shirt, a “Supreme” top with a bedazzled Pikachu and a “Nike” tracksuit, instead branded with the name “NKIE AHR,” meant to reflect such a practice, which according to the exhibit more comes as a “play” with brand names and in particular has influenced brands to become more involved with local consumers.
The last room is much more open than the previous one, so that each object has its own place. For example, front and center, under its own spotlight, is a silhouette of a miniature dress made from glued-together ceramics. Next to it is a piece of jewelry by Chan Po Fung, who uses broken jewelry with sentimental value to create his pieces. It is also here that we get a glimpse of Chinese fashion design talent, all once again seeking to challenge foreign perceptions and actively working against stereotypes they themselves do not fit.
This is the core of Feng Chen Wang’s design on display, which was initially part of the designer’s Spring 2018 collection, aimed at redefining the ‘Made in China’ label. With this line, and with the look in the exhibition, Wang wanted to showcase the craftsmanship of the makers and show what contemporary and innovative Chinese design can be. Fang’s dress also hangs in this room, framed as if it were the grand finale. In addition, visitors are encouraged to watch a video about the designer’s production process, further highlighting the skill of each individual piece.
After exploring this new look at what it means to be ‘Made in China’, Fang’s words to FashionUnited summed up the perspective perfectly: “I’m used to traveling and living in different places – be it China, Canada , the UK or the US – and although it was a struggle, I really enjoyed experiencing different cultures and noticing how there is misunderstanding, but also inspiration from different perspectives. That’s why I always thought it was very important to bring something positive, so that people from different cultures can somehow find unity and therefore a healing emotion.”
‘Made in China’ can be seen from October 11, 2024 to August 31, 2025 in the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam.
This article previously appeared on FashionUnited.UK. Translation and editing by Sylvana Lijbaart.
Source: fashionunited.nl
