Combining the traditional craft of twined flower making with stone

Abstract

Twined flower making has been a handicraft practiced by women since the Qing Dynasty (1885–94) in which wires, papers and silk threads are the main materials used by entwining the materials together in various combinations into the forms of flowers. However, the rise of plastic flowers in the 1970s, the evolution of lifestyle and weakened folk traditions has led to the gradual decline of twined flower craft. The craft of twined flower making has not been taught in a systematic fashion and thus is more difficult to pass onto new generations. The research aims to bring the art of twined flower into daily life to continue the future of this craft. The eastern region of Taiwan has an abundance of stone resources. The conception of the project is to unite the contrasting materials of twined paper flowers and to augment the scope of the craft. Traditionally twined flower handicraft has been applied mostly as an ornament or fashion accessory for women. The project extends the craft to the context of stationery by combining features found in traditional Chinese painting to produce a modern object.