The Huangbian Bag project delves into the changing landscape of Huangbian, an urban village in Guangzhou, China. It examines the profound shift from rural heritage to an industrialized economy through observations and gathered oral histories. The central design, a practical handbag, incorporates symbolic elements reflecting local land use and the rich cultural legacy of the region.
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The Huangbian Bag project, also known as 'Portable and Hidden Land-Use,' is based on observations and oral history from the Urban Village of Huangbian in Guangzhou, China. The design reflects the transformation of the village land due to industrialization, with the bag incorporating symbolic elements of local history and heritage.
The 'Huangbian Bag (ENG) Portable and Hidden Land-Use' project delves into the socio-economic landscape of Huangbian, an urban village in Guangzhou, China. The design of the bag is a direct response to observations and oral histories gathered from the streets, reflecting the profound shift from a rural heritage to an industrialized economy. The village's original land use has been largely replaced by concrete structures and numerous workshops engaged in export production, particularly of shoes, clothes, and bags. The local inhabitants, now primarily landlords, are rural migrants who have left their homelands for work, carrying their heritage as a portable and mental asset. The design of the Huangbian Bag itself is a classic and practical lady's handbag, informed by the specific needs and opinions of local street advisors regarding essential personal items like smartphones, keys, wallets, umbrellas, tissues, and makeup. However, its interior holds deeper significance, featuring an embroidered motif of former coal-mining trolleys and the fruit and leaves of the Ji Xin Shi persimmon tree, a fruit historically renowned in the region. The bag is meticulously produced in Huangbian by skilled workers, using high-quality black top leather for the exterior and soft lambskin leather in a grey minestone color for the interior. A 25-minute documentary film detailing the design and production process of the bag is also available, directed by Wapke Feenstra and Yuan Shaofei.
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