Natural Dye Washi Lantern Crafting Workshop
Natural Dye Washi Lantern Crafting Workshop
  • Date11 September 2021
  • Time1pm - 5:30pm
  • Capacity12
  • LocationThe Mills (45 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan)
  • Fee$550

The workshop consists of two parts. In the first part, Pokfulam Village Ladies Workshop, an organization from Pokfulam village, is invited to demonstrate the production method of natural dye washi. They would show us the steps of extracting colours from local natural ingredients, with the applications of tie-dye techniques, to create Japanese Washi with favourite patterns drawn on it, which is ready to be pasted on the lantern’s structure afterwards.

The indigo dye used on the day comes from a plant called Indigofera tinctoria, which was planted by KidsClub together with us. A Taiwanese & Hong Kong dyeing artist “Giants Tie Dye” has built a vat of indigo paste from the indigo dye, so that everyone would be able to appreciate the flow of natural colours on Japanese Washi.

The second part of the Workshop is led by Master Ng Kong Kin. You can learn some basic skills of crafting traditional bamboo lanterns, to create a lantern structure making use of bamboo strips, paper sticks and paste. Master Ng was born in Pokfulam Village, owning more than 40 years of experience in crafting Fire Dragon structures. He is an expert in utilizing materials of bamboo, grass, soil and steel wire for his creations.

As the final step of the Workshop, the air-dried natural dye Washi would be pasted on the lantern structure to create a unique lantern. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moment to celebrate reunion, let’s share with our families and friends this fruitful result of traditional handcrafting and natural dyeing.

Pokfulam Village Ladies Workshop, established in 2018, is a women’s organization in Pokfulam Village. The members of it usually gather to create pristine and practical handicrafts made of natural resources and local materials with their skilful hands. In order to polish the village environment and enhance relationships between the villagers, they organize various dyeing activities of seasonal natural dye such as turmeric, hematoxylin, bidens, micro-chrysanthemum, Indigofera and so on.

Master Ng Kong Kin, a folk artist born in Pokfulam Village, has more than 40 years of experience in making Fire Dragons and is good at using bamboo, grass, soil and steel wire for binding structures. Adhering to his spirit of “innovative with originality in mind”, Master Ng founded “Ng Kong Kin Bamboo Art Studio” to open up more space for creations. His works once travelled to the East to Japan, participating in the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. In the local field, his works also appeared in Hong Kong & Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture, “Community Classroom – The Jockey Club Art Conservation Project: Six Undead Exhibitions”, “Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival”, The University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Chinese Culinary Institute, etc.

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Collaborator - Pokfulam Village Ladies Workshop
Collaborator - Master Ng Kong Kin
  • Date11 September 2021
  • Time1pm - 5:30pm
  • Capacity12
  • LocationThe Mills (45 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan)
  • Fee$550
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