Hong Kong’s last remaining paper-mâché master Xu Jiaxiong x eco-bike inventor Gary x local artist Miss FAT
Combining Chinese folk craftsmanship and eco-friendly elements to showcase a giant bike “Fire Dragon”
Hong Kong, February 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — In the past, the dragon god tasked with protecting the community decided to descend from the heavens to the mortal world, taking on human form to observe the lives of the people and understand the needs of community development. However, by accident, he ended up staying on Earth. Fortunately, a group of warm-hearted and mutually supportive neighbors happened to pass by and rescued the dragon god, enabling him to return to the heavens safely. This Lunar New Year, in gratitude for being saved, the dragon god has once again descended to Earth. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, at Tin Shui Shopping Centre, he will reveal his true form during the “Link Eco-Bike Lucky Ride,” joining the public in celebration and bestowing heavenly blessings upon the community.
The giant “Eco-Bike Fire Dragon,” which combines Chinese folk craftsmanship and eco-friendly elements, features a design theme of “Building a Happy Community,” with vibrant colors bringing blessings and hope to citizens.
To recreate the dragon god’s presence, Link specially invited Hong Kong’s last remaining paper-mâché master Xu Jiaxiong, locally based artist Liu Jiayi (Miss FAT), who returned after studying in Australia, and eco-bike inventor Chan Pui-kei (Gary) to collaborate for the first time. With the theme “Building a Happy Community,” they created a giant eco-bike “Fire Dragon” that fuses Chinese folk craftsmanship and eco-friendly elements. The Eco-Bike Fire Dragon will be exhibited first at Lok Fu Plaza from February 4 to 15.
Modified discarded bikes paired with handcrafted dragon heads, adorned with fabrics from a hundred families and paper-cut patterns painted onto the dragon face
This year’s “Fire Dragon” features a novel design, with a handcrafted giant dragon head one-third larger than last year’s. Eco-bike inventor Gary repurposed discarded bikes from the previous year’s event, modifying them and extending the bike portion of the dragon head to perfectly match the massive dragon head crafted by Master Xu Jiaxiong. In terms of design, elements such as dragon horns made from fabrics from a hundred families and traditional Chinese paper-cut patterns on the dragon face give the “Fire Dragon” a fresh look while retaining its traditional essence. To maintain the translucency of the “Fire Dragon,” the thickness of the paint had to be precisely controlled. For this, local artist Miss FAT personally painted the dragon head, showcasing her exceptional hand-painting skills.
The dragon body is fitted with eco-friendly power-generating lanterns, with intricate craftsmanship showcased in high-difficulty construction
The dragon body consists of a series of eco-friendly power-generating lanterns. Due to the need to install LED lights on the “Fire Dragon,” the production difficulty is very high. Xu Jiaxiong, one of only three lion-head paper-mâché masters in Hong Kong, is participating in Link’s “Eco-Bike Lucky Ride and Fire Dragon Dance” Lunar New Year event for the second consecutive year, thus already having experience crafting dragon heads and tails for the bike-based fire dragon performance. However, Master Xu spent even more time and effort using fabric for this year’s “Fire Dragon” compared to last year. At this exhibition, the public can closely admire some of the finest paper-mâché craftsmanship in Hong Kong — a rare opportunity not to be missed.
Displaying the dragon god’s “three treasures,” the public gets a first ride on “recycled bikes”
In addition, visitors to the exhibition will have the chance to see the three treasures gifted by the dragon god to the neighborhood, including the “Dragon Ball” named “Balancing Yin and Yang Double Fish,” symbolizing balanced community development, shared prosperity, and flourishing businesses; the “Recycled Bike,” which promotes environmentalism, material recycling, and reduces pollution caused by development; and the “Creative Brush” on the dragon tail, inspiring creativity and encouraging new approaches to development, making the community more distinctive. While enjoying the exhibition, the public can also be among the first to ride the “Recycled Bike” and help generate power for the “dragon head” in an eco-friendly way.
“Link Eco-Bike Fire Dragon Dance Exhibition”