[ad_1]
Navigating the ever-evolving landscape of design, Chinese artist and designer Duyi Han invites us to explore the deep connection between aesthetics and mental health through his furniture collection. The ordinance of the treatment of the subconscious. Han’s work delves into the field of neuroaesthetics, a discipline focused on understanding aesthetic experiences in art and objects that evoke aesthetic judgment. STIR explores the designer’s distinctive approach, combining traditional Chinese motifs with contemporary mental health practices and the philosophical underpinnings that guide his creations.
Han’s journey into the world of neuroaesthetics begins with a deep dive into elements of traditional medicine. chinese architecture found inside Buddhist temples. His opulent and hypnotic creations reimagine traditional elements in a functional design. Ornate wreaths, parasols and banners that were once confined to sacred spaces find new life in the furniture designer’s pieces. With experience in architecture and a step through the renowned Herzog and de MeuronHan brings a unique perspective to his work, recontextualizing these elements into hypnotic and relaxing furniture.
The choice to use colors like Magenta Sunrise silk over Moonlight Aqua for embroidered curtains and shams serves as a nod to ancient Taoist talismans, specifically the Fulu. Traditionally, Chinese healers placed these talismans, intricately embroidered with calligraphy, in homes to dispel evil and disease. The Chinese designer’s reinterpretation replaces traditional calligraphy with structural formulas, infusing his creations with a contemporary touch, uniting Eastern symbolism with Western medical concepts.
This is palpable in the collections’ product designs, such as the coffee table adorned with the chemical compound amphetamine (more commonly known as Adderall). He melatonin auxiliary tables for each side of a bed and a Vitamin D sofa bed combined with two iVitamin B-12 chairs; The two vitamins that naturally support each other to be easily absorbed in our body, further expand this discourse by fusing the symbolism of Western medicine with the lasting power of ancient Chinese iconography.
At the heart of the collection is the oxytocin cabinet, a tall talisman known colloquially as the “love drug.” The silk drawers inside become the perfect place for daily prescribed supplements and love letters, encapsulating a holistic approach to mental well-being. The vision of the product designer transcends mere functionality; His creations become neuroaesthetic recipes. His work interacts with diverse temporal cultural contexts and emotional functions, inviting viewers to reflect on the dialectic between homeopathic traditions and scientific medicine within visual culture. The history of the cabinet extends beyond its creation; It is currently in the process of acquisition by SFMOMA. Approved unanimously at the recently concluded FOG Art Fair by the acquisitions committee, it now awaits final approval from the museum’s board of directors. This recognition reaffirms the impact of Han’s work, solidifying his place in the contemporary art and design landscape.
Han’s meticulous process involves a fusion of 3D-printed resin, wood or metal shapes, which are then upholstered with velvet fabric. The signature touch comes with the addition of the designer’s draped, pleated and folded embroidered silk. This unique combination of materials and textures brings these furniture designs to life. This furniture designer’s creations, when placed in living spaces, play a dual role, emphasizing the psychological tension between various dichotomies such as fear and love, authority and empathy, and unease and familiarity. The pieces become a canvas where the viewer confronts the tension between pain and healing, conflict and reconciliation, control and disorganization, illusion and reality. The interaction of these dichotomies creates a immersive experiencechallenging viewers to confront their own perceptions of reality and emotions.
The genesis of the collection dates back to 2021, when Han undertook an interior design project near Carry off. When designing a 600-square-meter apartment with an artistic theme, he sought to create pieces that transcend the physical and the visual, delving into psychological and spiritual depths. The final concept emerged after a meticulous research process, exploring the semiotic quality of the design and visualizing inner feelings. The relevance of mental health became a guiding force, leading the designer to recognize and care about personal emotions, while prompting viewers to contemplate their own. The designer’s practical approach is evident; He personally carried out most of the sewing of the pieces on display at San Francisco, while the embroidery was skillfully executed by local artisans near Shanghai. The choice of silk, with its delicate imperfections, becomes a conduit to channel equally delicate feelings.
The designer’s artistic approach, rooted in classical East Asian philosophy, departs from Western philosophies. Attention to the ephemeral, the diffuse and the fluid characterizes this philosophy, reflecting the manifestation of Guanyin Bodhisattva, adapting to specific appearances in different situations. In the same spirit, Han’s approach embraces the formless and colorless, embodying the idea of a higher void and countless possibilities inspired by Buddhism and Taoism. Han’s manifestation philosophy extends to the idea of prescriptions; not to diagnose an “illness” or a “problem,” but to present something as an act of affection.
The graphic style of their website and logo, with a touch of medical and pharmaceutical prints, reinforces this concept. The beauty of “extreme changes in an instant,” inspired by Zen Buddhism, resonates with the rapid flow of information in our digital world and the ability of AI to process vast amounts of data. The designer’s attitude towards the advanced. technology, like AI, distinguishes it from its contemporaries who focus on direct integration. Han sees a mature balance emerging between cutting-edge technology and traditional humanist values. His neuroaesthetic philosophy is not based on algorithms but is inspired by concepts, resulting in a design that resonates with both modernity and tradition.
Han’s ideas on aesthetics provoke a reevaluation of our conventional system of understanding. He challenges the norm, encouraging a shift from thinking about things in terms of what they are to what we feel. This change, according to the designer, can lead to a degree of sudden enlightenment, reallocating our understanding of the world. On the neurological side, Han’s philosophy focuses on the passage of information received by the eye/brain and processed in the brain. He ‘Ordinance’ The apartment exemplifies this approach, where the rooms are inspired by typical modern apartments and deviate from classical Chinese interiors. However, Han chooses to define them as Chinese, connecting them to the family experiences of contemporary Chinese millennials.
Born in 1994, Duyi Han travels through the fields of art and design, deeply involved in sculpture, furniture, scenography and digital art. His works delve into mental health issues and contemporary belief systems, seamlessly combining the soft elements of the traditional East. asian architecture with the influence of modern design. Since 2019, his work has garnered recognition from multidisciplinary awards and media platforms in over 20 languages.
“I see my art as the design of an aesthetic experience and an emotional function,” says the designer, summarizing the essence of his work. Similar to contemplating heritage architecture in Rome, Han aspires for viewers, when witnessing his creations, to feel the beauty of the passage of time. Designing from the coordinates of feelings makes time relative, capturing the core of what feels near or far, present or past. The combination of features from different eras creates a narrative where viewers can feel a temporal shift, almost similar to time travel. As we navigate the delicate threads of Han’s neuroaesthetic creations, we are reminded that design, when approached mindfully, has the profound ability to shape not only spaces, but also the very essence of our emotions and perceptions.