SwordLion Metal Postcard PenHolder

Press Kit

Unique Properties

This is an integration of postcard and penholder in a series of cultural creative souvenir. By using laser carving technique and foldable metal structure mechanism designed, Anping SwordLion totem along with the Chinese 5 elements philosophy. Greetings, notes or doodles can be made on the graphical metal sheet and sent as a postcard, which to be bent and folded into a penholder later on, presenting a unique style of gift and stationery.

Dimensions & Packaging

Color:GoldenMetal, GreenWood, BlueWater, RedFire, YellowEarth
Dimension:L20.6*W12.6*H1mm
Package:200p Coated Post Card Paper

Tags

Postcard, Penholder, Swordlion, Foldable, Bendable, Metal, Chinese 5 elements

Production Technology

Production Tech: Laser Cutting and Engraving.
Material: Galvanized Sheet metal.
Painting: Powder Paint Coating.

Design Challenge

The creativity within this design lies in the transformation of the tradition sword lion facial features and combining Chinese 5 elements philosophy of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth into a more interesting colorful graphical illustration. In order to preserve and spread out the culture totem, postcard and penholder takes into account, making it as a gift and souvenir, the Fold and Bend structure mechanism designed on a sheet metal is another challenging issue.

Project Duration

This project was partially funded by Government grant, started in March 2015 in Taiwan, and finished the designed and pilot production in July 2015, it was exhibited in Taiwan Creative Expo in April 2016, Japan Tokyo GIFTEX, Home Gift Interior Trade Fair in July 2017 and Paperworld in Germany Frankfurt January 2018. Silver Award of Good 10th Creative Tainan 2016 by Tainan City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau.

Operation Flow

This series of SwordLion-Metal Postcard Penholder consist of 5 pieces which differences by their facial features and colors, sold in historical tourist spots.
Bright and beautiful colors, lively look expression designed of the traditional SwordLion. You May write down greetings and notes or just doddles on it, to send it as a postcard to a friend in every corner of the world. Instead receiving it as a postcard, one may find it interestingly foldable into a penholder later on. Collect all 5 element pieces to make it a pack of SwordLion statue penholder standing on your desktop.

Research

This project was partly initiated by Tainan City Government, giving helping to a local sheet metal factory to transform and upgrade by design into the aptness of cultural creative industry. I came out an idea of deriving local cultural elements by design, after lots of studied and researched done on the Anping old street in Tainan, SwordLion totem was chosen and transferred into a creative stationery. Moreover, in order to preserve and widespread of the unique cultural element, postcard and penholder functions were integrated, outcome as a special gift to be sold in tourist hot spot.

Inspiration

I was inspired by the Chinese Minnan cultural heritage and element of Anping Swordlion in Tainan, an old city of Taiwan. In the past, in Anping old street, each house would hang a SwordLion on the door frame or the walls became the identification of the resident, they have different facial expressions, none of them are identical. Currently, there are only 30 to 40 Sword Lions left in Anping. I wish to preserve this unique culture totem and let the world know.

Image Credits

Image #1: WeiZhe Jiang,2018.
Image #2: Allyson Li, 2017.
Image #3: WeiZhe Jiang,2018.
Image #4: ChungSheng Chen,2016
Image #5: ChungSheng Chen,2016

Patents

Copyrights belong to ChungSheng Chen, acdesign associates International Co.,Ltd, 2015.

Colors of SwordLion Metal Postcard PenHolder