2020 | Visual Poetry & Mini-publication | Successfully-Funded Kickstarter #MAKE100 Campaign

DESIGN CONCEPT

The project “Stone, Branch & Leaf” enquires into the natural world and reveals the value of the overlooked side. It provokes alternative perspectives of how we can creatively and humbly learn from nature and be empowered through a series of speculative scenarios interweaving between reality and imagination, and between humankind and the earth. The series portrays individual narratives about three natural materials that are commonly found in the environment but often left unnoticed — stones, branches and leaves. Each of them is creatively humanised with distinctive personalities and personal insight related to their appearance and general perception, raising interesting questions about the inner identity of ourselves and reflecting our humanity as we interact with the natural landscape.

Through a hybrid presentation of internal monologues, illustrations, short passages and hand-polished objects, the project weaves our imagination into reality, and it inspires us to develop personal connections and emotions with nature engaging different senses beyond visual context. It thus stimulates informal conversations about pro-environmental consciousness as well as our inner wellbeing and self-empowerment.

The concept was initiated on Peng Chau, a small island in Hong Kong located slightly away from the hectic city centre. Hopping on a ferry, the only means of daily commute connecting to the quiet but vibrant isle, one will make a refreshing journey to experience a genuine panorama of the local culture and natural scenery. There are scarcely any famous tourist attractions but only the intriguing history, nice people and a warmly-connected neighbourhood. In this experiential project, the spirit and vitality inspired by the natural environment of Peng Chau are artistically reflected and manifested through ingenious narratives and poetic expressions. 

KICKSTARTER #MAKE100

Thank you all the backers from Kickstarter for their support and making it a successfully-funded project!

The project was listed on Kickstarter (http://kck.st/39NVQU6) in March 2020 and featured by the Kickstarter scheme "Make 100" as well as "Project We Love" as a pre-launch. The production was subsequently completed in late June 2020 with a limited quantity.

Project We LOVE: We are also proud to be selected and listed at "Project We Love" by the Kickstarter curatorial team after only 3 days we launched the campaign!

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

The project deliverables include a set of three books, with each of the printed books accompanying a physical object - Stone, Branch or Leaf. Each object is unique and hand-processed on Peng Chau. Every object is attached with a small brush of golden pigment. Read our books and you will know the story behind.

• Book 01 & Object - The Unconfident Stone 

• Book 02 & Object - The Indecisive Branch 

• Book 03 & Object - The Impatient Leaf 

The peculiarity in each accompanying object which is polished attentively by hand brings not only warm surprises upon unwrapping the package but also the distinctive uniqueness to each backers in this collectively-funded campaign. The project is deliberately fashioned to explore the conventional model of crowdfunding system through a combination of contradicting deliverables between mass-production and personalised creations. We sincerely hope to spread this empowering creation and message to all backers from different parts of the world! Let's smile and give more love to ourselves and others!  

It takes time and effort to process the objects one by one, alongside producing the illustrations for the books. This however marks one of the most significant values in this project, that is to make it a personal artefact and engagement for each backer who appreciates the uniqueness and genuineness of an object evolved and shaped by nature.