Creation Exhibitions Ⅰ

2020: Hualien Local Handmade New Collection Exhibition & Sale | Local · Stone Industry · Innovation

Organized by the Innovation & Incubation Center of Arts and Creative Industries at National Dong Hwa University, Azure Hotel provided a platform on our first floor to showcase Hualien's unique stone art and innovative creations. Featuring new handmade works from multiple local artists, the exhibition invited travelers to appreciate the art while experiencing the natural beauty and cultural creativity of Hualien up close, taking home a distinctive piece of local heritage.

Exhibitors: Hung Chun-yu Studio / Warm Stone Heart / Stone Light Design / Ten Directions Studio

Organizer: Innovation & Incubation Center of Arts and Creative Industries, National Dong Hwa University

Hung Chun-yu Studio

Artist Hung Chun-yu retired early from a major manufacturing firm to pursue his lifelong dream. Guided by strong determination, he immerses himself in the art of stone carving, employing natural and grounded techniques to reveal the inner soul of Taiwan Black Jade. The Taiwan Black Jade utilized in his work originates entirely from local mineral veins in Hualien, stretching from Xilin in Wanrong Township southward to the Qingshui Stream basin in Zhuoxi Township, with traces found across Shoufeng, Zhuoxi, Ruisui, and Yuli. Leveraging the natural properties of black jade, Hung crafts a series of works imbued with Eastern aesthetics.

Warm Stone Heart

Gao Deng Li-juan is a second-generation successor in Hualien's jade and stone industry. "Warm Stone Heart (Stone & Life)" is a brand she conceived while addressing challenges within the traditional stone sector. Utilizing leftover stone materials, she collaborates with specialized medium designers to craft daily lifestyle products, capturing the essence of everyday life in Hualien. Through small-batch, refined production, her work connects local raw materials with the spirit of craft design.

Inspired by the grand natural scenery of Eastern Taiwan—majestic, layered mountains and whimsical, swirling clouds—she incorporates the unique textures and colors of stone to simulate these landscapes in her creations, offering distinctive local souvenirs.

Stone Light Design

After thriving in the 1950s, the local jade industry faced deep challenges due to shifting market dynamics. Unwilling to yield to decline, Yu Chun-zhen, a second-generation successor with over 20 years of crafting experience, gives Taiwan Black Jade a fresh voice. She aims to recapture the glory days of Hualien jade by integrating modern lifestyle aesthetics. Continuously testing market preferences, she develops practical consumer products that highlight master craftsmanship—bridging traditional and contemporary styles to reframe the artistic value of jade through balance between solid and void, complexity and simplicity.

Ten Directions Studio

Creator Chen Shui-nan's artistic background spans pottery, ornamental brickwork, cement sculpting, and landscape design. Early on, he blended pottery techniques with cement, developing a signature approach to "cement sculpture." After moving to Hualien, his encounters with the natural environment transformed his worldview, prompting him to combine diverse media—such as discarded bricks, scrap metal, and driftwood.

Grounded in ecological value and environmental awareness, his creative philosophy draws inspiration from discarded objects. He explores the relationship between "usefulness" and "uselessness," as well as the natural cycles of life, decay, and rebirth. Through raw interaction with clay and found materials, his reflections on nature's flow and philosophy are gracefully embodied within finely crafted teaware.