China News Service, Ningde, February 11th (Lei Jinhui) "I taught myself to make these carpenters, and each piece is like my own child." During the Chinese New Year, Guo Tao, a "post-85s generation", told visiting reporters.
In Guo Tao's studio located in Fu'an City, Ningde, Fujian, everything you can see is unique wooden tables, chairs, and ornaments. These wooden chairs and stools were designed and made by Guo Tao himself using a mortise and tenon structure. There is no metal connection between the wooden structures but they still fit perfectly.
The more he learned about traditional woodworking techniques, the more he became obsessed with it, especially the use of mortise and tenon joints, which made him admire the design ingenuity of veteran craftsmen. Guo Tao expressed that he hopes to apply traditional woodworking skills to more places to help the development of his hometown.
The picture shows Guo Tao doing woodworking creation. (Information picture) Photo provided by interviewee
Guo Tao was born in a farming family in Xiyin Village, Xitan Town, Fu'an City. He taught himself sketching and oil painting at the age of 8. At that time, his "paintings" were everywhere on the floor and walls. Guo Tao said with a smile that although his mother often chased him around the house, he always found ways to find materials for painting.
After graduating from junior high school, Guo Tao entered the society and won the weekly championship by participating in a variety show "Celebrity Face". From then on, he entered the entertainment industry, releasing singles and filming short films.
In 2014, Guo Tao returned to his hometown to film the micro-film "The Life of Young People in Fu'an". Seeing the people and things in his hometown again gave him the idea of returning to his hometown to start a business.
"Nowadays, rural tourism is booming. Many people are tired of the fast-paced life in the city and want to slow down and go to the countryside to experience leisure and quiet time." Guo Tao said that the appearance of the countryside in Fu'an has changed rapidly in recent years, and he hopes that Fu'an will have good mountains and good waters. Be seen by more people.
In 2020, Guo Tao returned to his hometown to set up a studio. He expressed that he hopes to use the resources obtained in recent years to create a rural art space that can see the mountains and rivers and retain nostalgia, and use new media to promote Fu'an to the outside world and explore a new path for rural revitalization with characteristics and attitude. .
The picture shows the chair and stool designed and produced by Guo Tao, which adopts a mortise and tenon structure, which is simple and natural. Photo provided by interviewee
Collecting wood and tools, measuring, cutting, polishing, and installing... Guo Tao continues to visit the countryside, observe traditional woodworking methods, study the principles of mortise and tenon structure, and find design inspiration. In more than three years, Guo Tao has produced a large number of woodworking works, from tea trays and tea tables to cabinets and lamps, each of which incorporates his unique ideas.
In Guo Tao's view, purely handmade furniture is soulful and smart. It is not horizontal or vertical like machine-made furniture, but maintains the purity and nature of wood.
Today, on the basis of protecting and inheriting traditional woodworking skills, he combines modern styles to create excellent handmade works, taking root in the countryside to create an art space. In January this year, the case "Guo Tao Studio's Traditional Woodworking Skills Light Up the Rural Art Space" was selected into the 2023 National Top 100 Outstanding Rural Revitalization Cases.
"I will continue to make good use of rural resources, showcase rural customs and specialties through art spaces, and attract more people to pay attention to, protect and inherit traditional culture and rural culture." Guo Tao said. (over)