London Craft Week marks five-year milestone

Hundreds of exhibitions and a huge range of work will be on display in the United Kingdom capital during the fifth incarnation of London Craft Week.

Hundreds of makers, designers, brands, and artists will participate, along with galleries from 15 countries. Displays and activities, which will include workshops and talks, will be housed in 150 locations throughout London between Wednesday and Sunday.

Visitors will be able to take a close look at talented people working and also admire craftsmanship from all over the world.

Countries that will be represented during London Craft Week include China, Korea, Japan, Italy, Denmark, and Iran. Work will include examples of darning, dressmaking, lacquering, and luthiery, which is the craft of making stringed instruments.

The craft-focused event will also explore luxury brands, fashion, and global craftsmanship.

At Asia House in Marylebone, Beautiful China & Picturesque Zhejiang: An Exhibition of Innovation from Zhejiang and Hangzhou, showcases a fusion of traditional craft with the power of innovation. Designers from the city of Hangzhou, in Zhejiang province, have created works based on the design and interpretation of five traditional materials: bamboo, wood, silk, copper, and ceramic.

The exhibition's organizers want to deepen the understanding of Zhejiang's culture in the UK and encourage an exchange of creative and cultural ideas.

There will also be a visual feast of Chinese craftsmanship at The Hospital Club in Covent Garden. Amazing China: Multidisciplinary Exhibition of Chinese Arts &Crafts, is a three-day event that will explore Chinese talent and creativity and feature clothing, embroidery, ceramics, and clay figurines.

Other highlights include Scorched an exhibition of burned wood pieces by leading contemporary artists and designers that is taking place in Fitzrovia Chapel. Scorched will present the traditional process of shou-sugi-ban, which is otherwise known as yakisugi, which is a technique that organizers say originated in Japan in the 18th century and that involves the charring of the surface of wood.

Since its beginning in 2015, London Craft Week has evolved from an ambitious experimental enterprise to a key event on the UK's creative calendar. Last year, more than 99,000 people took part in 2,039 events.

Guy Salter, founder of London Craft Week, said:" Our hunch when we started was based on two things. Firstly, that many of us were hungry for something more than the restricted diet of the unremarkable or lookalikes found in similar shopping streets, malls and e-commerce sites. Secondly, that there was an iceberg of exceptional talent and richness of human ingenuity, which could more than satisfy that demand."

As well as exploring traditional craft techniques, this year's program will provide an insight into the future of the creative industries with technologies featured including 3D printing and virtual reality.