In recent years, traditional woodcraft has seen a resurgence in Hong Kong. We explore the stories of four contemporary carpenters who have made it their mission to preserve and perpetuate Hong Kong’s craft heritage

Vivian Law, Justin Chan and Chris Cheung, *Shadow-scape*

Woodcraft has been a part of Hong Kong’s culture and history for a long time. In the 20th century, many of the city’s factories specialised in shipbuilding and furniture production, and timber — alongside textiles, plastic and clothing — was one of the city’s most thriving industries throughout the 1950s and 60s. But as industrial production began to decline from the 1970s onwards and most of Hong Kong’s factories relocated to the Pearl River Delta, the city became increasingly reliant on its growing service industry, leading to the gradual disappearance of timber manufacturing.

Recent years, however, have seen the emergence of local organisations and businesses that aim to preserve and practice traditional crafts, renewing the public’s awareness and interest in woodwork. ‘I wanted to preserve Hong Kong’s history by studying the designs and crafts of the past and continuing to produce them,’ says carpenter Kanok Wan, who founded HK Bros & Co., a local woodworking studio that specialises in reproducing and reinterpreting traditional Hong Kong furniture.

Like many other contemporary craftspeople, Wan didn’t acquire his skills from a formal apprenticeship, but instead learned how to craft hardwood furniture by watching video tutorials on YouTube and seeking advice from other carpenters. ‘Whenever I had the chance to meet craftsmen and contractors, I would invite them to have tea and ask them a lot of questions about woodcraft,’ he explains. ‘I believe that craft is a way of life. I don’t want to end up in a world made of digital files on a computer hard drive. I want to leave tangible objects for future generations.’

Wan is not the only one who sees value in Hong Kong’s woodcraft heritage and the importance of passing it on. In 2013, wood carver Vivian Law co-founded accessories brand Bespecial Wood Carving & Woodcraft, which has since evolved into a platform that aims to introduce wood carving to the wider public through tutorials. ‘We want to spread our passion for wood carving to the Hong Kong audience by creating artworks with them,’ say Law of the work she and her partner Justin Chan, who joined the initiative in 2017, have dedicated themselves to. ‘We’ve recently been busy creating tutorial kits and online tutorials that will be released very soon’.

Law and Chan met while they were studying contemporary wood sculpting and wood working in Taipei. They recently collaborated with Hong Kong carpenter Ken Chow to create a pair of black walnut nightstands hand-carved in relief for a woodcraft-themed exhibition at Crafts on Peel. ‘Wood is a material that I can endlessly learn and create from,’ says Law. ‘I fell in love with wood carving because of its working process — it fits my personality and teaches me to achieve a balance between destruction and precision.’

This renewed interest in woodcraft has prompted a revival of Made in Hong Kong furniture, with more and more hotels, restaurants and individuals sourcing pieces from local carpenters. ‘With the pandemic affecting many goods and supply chains, we wanted to rethink how to make things here in Hong Kong,’ says carpenter Yan Yung, who founded Coutou Woodworking Studio, an initiative that aims to educate the public about the woodworking. ‘A lot of high-end furniture was made locally in the past. Through our studio, we hope to promote the craft that’s native to Hong Kong.’

Through various courses and social projects, Yung shares her knowledge and raises awareness about how woodcraft can bring about change in society. ‘We believe that every piece of wood has a purpose rather than just being directly discarded in landfills,’ she explains. ‘We aim to set up a platform for the public to value the beauty of craft and of upcycling.’

While the golden age of Hong Kong’s wood manufacturing may be a memory, it seems that the desire to preserve and perpetuate traditional woodcraft has never been so alive. Thanks to a new generation of passionate local artisans determined to pass on their knowledge, Hong Kong-made timber pieces are seeing an unprecedented comeback, preserving and showcasing techniques, styles and heritage unique to the city.

Text / Nina Milhaud
Images / Courtesy of the makers and Crafts on Peel

Kanok Wan, Vivian Law, Justin Chan and Yan Yung were some of the artisans and carpenters in Craft on Peel’s exhibition Stories Encapsulated: Wood, a thematic exhibition dedicated to woodcraft.