Once upon bamboo

"Embodying a spirit of purity and infinite creative possibility, bamboo is a material with an elaborate living culture across Asia that transcends countries, cultures and history," says Wang. "The artisans presented at Crafts on Peel articulate a unique exchange of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary aesthetics that immerse the viewer in the infinite possibilities and creativity of bamboo."

Surprises lie in store, such as discovering how lifestyles and values developed during China's Song Dynasty elevated bambooware from a rustic item to a crafted object of aesthetic value. Japanese contemporary artisan Tamotsu Nishimoto's Teppachi Morikago and Takezaiku Basket focus on "achieving beauty in life at the moment of usage" and combining art with functionality, echoing the sentimentsespoused by 1920s Japanese philosopher Yanagi Soetsu, who believed the aestheticvalue of craft lay in its practicality. Bamboo has a long history in Japan, where excavations have uncovered bamboo baskets dating to the Late Jomon period (circa 2000–1000 BCE).