The intersection of heritage craftsmanship and avant-garde installation art often yields the most compelling dialogues on tradition. In a harmonious response to the Lunar New Year of the Dragon, British bespoke house de Gournay has collaborated with Chinese artist Wanbing Huang to translate the ethereal concepts of mythology into a tangible, immersive environment.
The project creates a bridge between Huang’s spatial installation, Yan Yan, and the decorative arts, grounding abstract cosmic concepts in the physicality of hand-painted wallpaper.
Mythological Architecture
At the center of this collaboration is Yan Yan, Huang’s contemporary prototype of Suan Ni, the mythological fifth son of the Dragon. Departing from the dynamic, serpentine movements typically associated with dragon iconography, Huang’s interpretation focuses on a profound stillness. She explored ancient Chinese star maps, connecting celestial points to outline the form of a creature defined by introspection rather than action.
Installation view of the collaboration between de Gournay and Wanbing Huang
“Every auspicious beast has its secret, and Yan Yan’s secret is that it doesn’t like to move,” Huang observes. “There are countless worlds and stories in its belly, so it prefers to wander in its own worlds.” This narrative choice shifts the viewer’s engagement from observing a creature of flight to contemplating a vessel of internal universes.
Alchemy of Surface
To translate this conceptual installation into a two-dimensional plane, de Gournay utilized a distinct bas-relief technique that emphasizes texture over flat illustration. The process involves the application of rising temperature-responsive paint, a technical choice intended to capture the physical evolution of the Yan Yan form.
The resulting relief is not merely colored but treated as a sculptural surface. It is gilded with metallic tones and deliberately tarnished, lending the material a patina that suggests antiquity and endurance. Hand-painted elements, rooted in traditional Chinese symbolism, are applied as the final layer. These details do not dominate the surface but rather adorn the relief, creating a visual effect where the scene appears to emerge organically from an abstract, metallic void.
Detail of the textured, metallic wallpaper surface by de Gournay
A Spatial Narrative
The physical manifestation of this collaboration debuted at The Middle House in Shanghai, transforming the venue’s curved walls into an immersive canvas. The curvature of the architecture complements the fluidity of the wallpaper design, inviting visitors into the “cosmic dialogue” Huang envisions. Following its Shanghai premiere, the installation is scheduled to travel to The Temple House in Chengdu and The Opposite House in Beijing.
Complementing the bespoke wallcoverings, the exhibition also features Huang’s broader artistic research. These accompanying works draw inspiration from the Guangdong Lion Dance and reinterpret traditional crafts—including ramie fiber weaving, paper-cutting, and innovative embroidery. Together with the extended artwork The Entropy Reduction of Hundun, the collection stands as a testament to the possibilities of craftsmanship when filtered through a modern creative vision, proving that cultural legacy is fluid, capable of being reshaped without losing its essence.
Installation view of the collaboration between de Gournay and Wanbing Huang
Detail of the textured, metallic wallpaper surface by de Gournay
