At its core, Modern Orientalism focuses on expressing the humanistic spirit, exploring the relationship between man and nature, and integrating art into daily life. Modern Orientalism is a fusion of eastern and western cultures, envisioning future premium lifestyles for people in contemporary China and across the globe.
The style is characterized by its diverse thinking, drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese culture and art and reinterpreting them using modern techniques that balance rationality and sensibility. Rather than relying solely on oriental symbolism, Modern Orientalism creates an engaging design language through aesthetic dialogue and diverse perspectives.
Emotional resonance is another key feature of Modern Orientalism. It takes inspiration from traditional Chinese ink paintings to create a fluid and dynamic design process that follows the principles of "Shang Li" (advocating principles), "Cong Fa " (following the law), and "Zhong Yi" (emphasizing meaning). This approach evokes a strong sense of emotion and imagination in the audience, similar to how the splashed ink method in Chinese ink paintings forms a dramatic narrative using black and white, ink and void.
Additionally, Modern Orientalism portrays a narrative and a sense of time that are quintessential in traditional Chinese ink paintings. By adding the latitude of time into a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space, the design process becomes a personal construction of a movie, complete with its own rhythm and memories that add depth and meaning to space.
Philosophy of Shan Shui Guan Design
Shan Shui Guan Design is one of Wu's more recent design languages that evolved from Modern Orientalism. It reinterprets traditional Chinese Garden Design Thinking and Shan Shui Ink Painting philosophy in today’s interior spaces, catering to the functional needs and habits of modern homeowners.
This design language treats an interior space as a unified entity rather than separated sections. It requires a significant number of techniques and attention to detail to consider the relations between horizontal and vertical spatial flow, thus adding sophistication and enjoyment to the experience.
