SinoThingism: Transformative Material Culture in China
Partner Programme
13 — 18 Sept 2025
Industrial & Product Design
13 Sept10:00—18:00
14 Sept10:00—18:00
15 Sept10:00—18:00
16 Sept10:00—18:00
17 Sept10:00—18:00
18 Sept09:00—14:00
In Person
Free, no ticket required
Emerging design collective FormHuman: present SinoThingism, a research-led exhibition offering dialogue platform around Chinese contemporary material culture. The exhibition features a curated archive of household objects and factory relics, alongside a series of design responses rooted in these materials.
From being “the world’s factory” to a cultural exporter, China’s manufacturing is shifting from a tool of function to a medium of narrative. “Neo-Chinese” has become a buzzword in design, as many turn to tradition to answer contemporary needs. But what is inherited is less a coherent system than a set of scattered memories and symbolic motifs. Amidst this reality, one question arises: how might a healthy material culture ecosystem take shape in China today? In this exhibition, FormHuman: begins from the everyday, presenting a visual archive of household goods, factory relics, and trend-driven objects, alongside a series of design responses rooted in these materials. It is both an observation and a documentary—of the industry, of our present, and of ourselves. The project attempts to open a window into a design industry that, from a Western perspective, still remains something of a black box, offering a platform for dialogue around Chinese contemporary material culture.
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