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ISSUE 4
the fifth quarterly a tribute to artful living
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latest creations
the collected
musings
o n s i t e : k yo t o
portrait of an artist
Tzelan's Edwardian Flair chair
Myriad inspirations from Paris to
Sonia Cheng, Rosewood Hotel Group's
Tzelan takes a trip to Japan's holy city,
Voutsa's George Venson redefines wall
comes to elegant life in the Ritz-
Shanghai that moved us this season.
CEO, opens up about her Eastern-
where craft and culture reign supreme.
coverings and art on his own terms.
Carlton, Millenia Singapore.
Western influence.
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Ta k e h o m e t h e a r t f u l l i f e s t y l e o f Tz e l a n . Select products now available for purchase online.
objects of beauty for everyday living N OW AVA IL A BL E ON W W W . T Z E L A N . C O M / S H O P
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Work in Progress a letter from tzelan
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e would be remiss to not acknowledge the tragic and violent discord that has been plaguing our world at home, in Europe and beyond. To quote His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in response to the atrocities that occurred in Paris mid-November, “We cannot solve this problem only through prayers…we need a systematic approach to foster humanistic values, of oneness and harmony.” Prayer, as a response to human-created problems, he argued, remains futile in changing ill-fated and narrow perceptions. Fostering compassion proves far more useful. “It is in everybody’s interest,” he remarked. “So let us work for peace within our families and society, and not expect help from God, Buddha or the governments.” . As it were, this focus on humanism served as the main point of departure for our fall issue of The Fifth Quaterly as we looked toward philosopher Lin Yutang, a “[spiritual] child of the East and West” born in a small town in Pinghe County in southern Fujian province in 1895. “Man must be wise and unafraid to live a happy life,” Lin wrote in his East-West best seller The Importance of Living (1935), recognizing that “the conflict between action and inaction ends in a compromise, or contentment with a very imperfect heaven on earth.” He observed that we are caught up in “the busy self occupied in our daily activities” which detracts from “the real self.” That in this misstep, “we are quite sure to have lost something in the mere pursuit of living” because living without awareness and sensitivity to others renders us inhuman, free to lead selfish, less inspired lives. . And yet there was an indulgent air to Lin, who recognized how humor might assuage our doubts and fears in these pursuits. “Our lives are not in the lap of the gods, but in the lap of our cooks”—how beautiful and irreverent his tone! (It may also be interesting to note that he lived between New York and China.) . Taking these formidable philosophers into our foremost stomachs and minds, we spent the season contemplating who we are and how we are to evolve in the world. That despite our background in luxury hospitality defined by a decidedly Eastern zen and Western formality, we must ask what truly matters in the sober, discerning light of day? . At Tzelan, we are diving deep to discover what it all means to us, and how best to move beyond the traditional markers of artistry or success, even the outmoded boundaries between East and West. We realize that despite our unwillingness to be complacent and unoriginal, there is much to discover and learn. The fact that we are here at all is evidence that we have the right to be here, but we need to build our own systemic structures in place to be responsible and do right by the people and spaces that surround us. . We know we have a duty to be better. What that will look like, we aren't 100% sure. For now, we would like to graciously introduce a few people (like the indomitable Rosewood CEO, Sonia Cheng, pg. 8, and artist-cumwallpaper darling George Venson of Voutsa, pg. 16), places (like the majestic, craft haven of Kyoto, pg. 12) and things (like a distinct, colonial-inspired cane chair, pg. 5) that we feel universally transcend, propelling us forward in our one, human purpose.
Alison Chi & Tammy Chou 3
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RI T Z C A RLT ON
MILLENIA SINGAPORE
FIND YOUR
#tzelanmoment # DININ G AT C OL ON Y 4
ďż˝
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Edwardian
Flair the collected
tzelan's edwardian flair chair sits at the unique meeting point where
elegant gestures and classical design elements from the old world are reinterpreted for
the new with transformative effect. Here, the physical boundaries between East and West
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diminish, giving way to a global sensibility that suffuses iconic hospitality projects like the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. Made of radio-net cane wrapped in a rift-cut oak
wood, the Edwardian Flair chair boasts a 100% graphic houndstooth upholstered seat and polished nickel studs. Made to order in Italy. For inquiries, email sales@tzelan.com.
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01 / PANOR AMIC
PARIS
A sprawling view of the Cit y of Lights during day time.
02 / LE
G AVROCHE
Ce lebrating the bir thday of
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Tze lan inspiration Tammy Chou in Paris amongst friends.
03 / MIX
MEDIA
An inspire d ar twork by Ate lier Pierre Bonnefille at Maison & Objet Paris.
04 / BAMBOO
DRE AM
The e leg ant Wave chair by the Campana brothers, sp otte d at Maison & Obje c t Paris.
05 / VIE W
FROM T HE TOP
Overlo oking the Huangpu river in
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Shanghai from the Park Hyatt.
06 / TCHIN
TCHIN
Carousing late night with wine in Paris.
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07 / EDWARDIAN
ER A
Te levision series "Downton Abb ey" re cre ates the formalit y of English dining.
08 / LUST,
C AU T ION
The enigmatic a c tress Tang Wei in Ang Le e's film Lust, Caution .
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09 / GL A S S
AC T
Tze lan 's glass display table at Ritz Carlton , Millenia Sing ap ore.
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10 / C OURT ESAN
CHIC
Formalit y takes a cue from Qing-era p or traiture.
11 / T HROUGH
T HE LOOKING GL A S S
f rom PAR IS t o S H AN GHAI the collected
Be autiful textiles are juxtap ose d at the ME T's Costume Institute exhibit China : Through the Lo oking Glass.
12 / ORIENTALIST A vivid p or trayal of the East from French romantic painter François Boucher.
13 / VANI T Y
FAIR
No matter where we found ourselves in the world this season, we were constantly reminded of our genetic makeup—a unique hybrid of Eastern zen and Western formality—during our ongoing pursuit for newness. Our influences were resoundingly clear as we explored the designs at trade show Maison & Objet Paris, as we sat at a table amongst friends at old school bistro Le Gavroche, or visited our partners in Singapore and Shanghai. Here, we capture that alluring spirit and assemble the various inspirations—some obvious, others surprisingly disparate—that move us this fall, whether the vivid coloring of a romantic François Boucher painting, the filmic still of director Ang Lee's epic Lust, Caution or the elegant bamboo curve of the Campana brothers' Wave chair.
Tze lan's sle ek vanit y p ouf with a low-se ate d cushion in a solid wo o d frame.
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MUSING S
WITH
Sonia Cheng On vision, possibility and being “Eastern with Western influence”
“ I ’M CHINESE BU T I ’M VERY LUCK Y TO HAVE HAD THE OPP ORT UNIT Y TO LE A RN A ND G ROW UP IN BOTH
[East and West],” reveals Sonia Cheng, the millenial CEO behind Asia’s staggering Rosewood Hotel Group, which owns iconic properties across the world, including The Carlyle in New York City, Hôtel de Crillon in Paris and Rosewood London. “I can think and see from both perspectives, which is invaluable when operating in a global arena.” “This is one of the most exciting times in history to be a business leader in Asia,” Cheng adds with fervor. To not acknowledge the region’s reemergence as a global superpower would be remiss. “We are not in ‘catch up’ mode in this part of the world any longer, we are leading the way with energy, dynamism and a sense of possibility.” Since Cheng’s family purchased Rosewood Hotel Group under their Hong Kong-based conglomerate New World Development in 2011, Cheng has been in charge of transforming a billion-dollar business with her distinctive approach, using what she calls “relationship hospitality” as guide. “We strive to create, nurture and treasure long-term relationships with those who stay with us and those who work with us,” she explains. Her team also turns their attention towards the next wave of travelers who are shaping the ultraluxury hospitality industry. “We call them ‘affluential CULT URES
explorers,’” she explains. “They want personal connections, authenticity and travel that is experiential, not superficial. All the trappings of luxury are expected along the way, but they’re looking for something deeper and more meaningful. At Rosewood we are catering to this evolved mindset.” Personally, Cheng cites “[being] in the moment” as her philosophy to live by, although ambition, family and her kids have also played large, motivational roles. “I think I’ve always been driven…the example of my family and what they’ve achieved has been an inspiration and was ingrained in me from an early age. It’s an indefinable force, but I’m consumed by bringing my visions to life,” she says. “I also always try to enjoy every moment when I’m with my kids…some things you just don’t want to miss.” How does she stay balanced in our increasingly fast-paced and interconnected world? “Technology is surely unavoidable these days but it is only one way of communicating. It is key for me to ensure there is personal and meaningful interaction between me and my team, my friends and my family,” she imparts. “It is also important for us, in the hotel business, to keep the human touch in mind because this is at the heart of a guest’s experience.” Following, Cheng opens up to Tzelan about everything from what she’s reading to her home away from home…
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Above: Sonia Cheng, Rosewood CEO. Opposite page (from top to bottom): the entrace to Rosewood London, designed by tonychi; a close-up detail of a decorative owl at Rosewood London.
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"IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US, IN THE HOTEL BUSINESS, TO KEEP THE HUMAN TOUCH IN MIND BECAUSE THIS, IS AT THE HEART OF A GUEST’S EXPERIENCE." FAV O RI T E RE A D S :
FAV O RI T E Q U A L I T I E S I N A W O M A N :
Currently, children psychology books.
Intelligence and independence.
FAV O RI T E H O T E L I N T H E E A S T :
W H AT Y O U A P P RE C I AT E T HE M O S T IN
Rosewood Beijing! It’s our first Rosewood hotel in Asia (five years in the making) and really brought my future vision for the brand to life. It will always have a very special place in my heart.
YOUR FRIENDS:
Trying to do too much and being very hard on myself.
FAV O RI T E H O T E L I N T H E W E S T :
YOUR IDEA OF HAPPINESS:
Honestly, Rosewood London. I travel to the British capital a lot, and I love its dynamism. The Rosewood hotel is not only stunning, but it gives me such a sense of ease and comfort and style and charm in the midst of my frantic running around!
Y O U R I D E A O F M I S E R Y : Being cut off from all forms of communication – no phone, no mobile device, no conversation.
Loyalty and honesty.
Y O U R M A I N FA U LT :
Being content.
WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE? FAV O RI T E H O T E L O F A L L T I M E :
I love properties that have character, are intimate and really reflect the hospitality of the location. I’ve found some outstanding examples in the British and Italian countryside, and even at a secluded resort in Cambodia. But I don’t have one favorite because my opinion changes all the time. FAV O RI T E I N D U L G E N C E :
Hong Kong, of course! All jewel tones. Just not pink or baby blue – I’m not a pastel kind of girl! FAV O RI T E C O L O R :
YOUR HEROES IN RE AL LIFE :
My father and grandfather. They’re very smart, humble and down-to-earth.
Sweets. Y O U R FAV O RI T E F O O D A N D D RI N K :
FAV O RI T E V I R T U E :
Humility.
Chinese food.
FAV O RI T E Q U A L I T I E S I N A M A N :
W H AT I S Y O UR P RE S EN T S TAT E OF MIND :
Humor, ambition, kindness.
Pulled in different directions! There’s so much happening in our business, and my family will be expanding come December, so there’s a lot on my plate… but I love it. 11
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Kyoto Calling on site
Taking a break from the urban bustle, Tzelan pays homage to Japan’s historic, imperial city and its enduring charm. As one of our all-time favorite cities, Kyoto, Japan’s thousand-year capital, exudes a mysterious quality that’s equal parts majestic and serene. With over 1,000 Buddhist temples and shrines nestled within the valley of the Yamashiro Basin, where the city is located, Kyoto respectfully preserves the cultural
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traditions of the country’s past. Artful living is elevated to new heights, while craft and devotion to singular tasks—like the mastery of bamboo production, drinking tea or creating silken tofu—is revered. Here, we share the places that inspired us on our recent Japanese jaunt.
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a
b
d
c
e
g
f
Clockwise from top left: (a, b, f) collected curios and porcelainware at Tessaidou; (c, d) among the Miki family's bamboo grove; (e) in the home of the Nagamatsu family; (g) a scenic daybreak in Kyoto.
Fast Facts Countr y: Japan / Region: Kansai / Prefecture: Kyoto Prefecture Time: Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) / Currency: Yen (¥) / En 円 (JPY) /Population: 1,469,604 Countr y Code: +81 / Area code: +75 / Official Language: Japanese
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ION ENDOU
T ESSAIDOU & KOU K YOTO
SAKE MARUYAMA
“Will I ever eat tofu again,” jokes
Run by the Nagamatsu family, a delightful mother-daughter duo whose
“This quaint restaurant within a park makes the
Tzelan’s Alison Chi, whose favorite
treasure trove of antique, collected curios and porcelain, live in the
city’s best bowl of noodles,” Chi adds, “with
tempura house in the world, Ion
home-cum-storefront of Tessaidou and the more contemporary, Kou Kyoto.
freshly-made tofu skin, scallion and a clear
Endou, is based in Kyoto.
The homemade matcha and pomegranate tea is not to be missed.
broth. Nothing else is served on the menu.”
www.koukyoto.com
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MIKI BAMBOO SHOP
YOSHIOK A SACHIO
Fifth-generation owners of Miki Bamboo shop, Kiyoshi Miki and his
Textiles get transformed through artful dyes by
son Takashi, masterfully oversee their bamboo production in groves
Yoshioka Sachio. “We custom created indigos,” Chi
as proponents of kyo-meichiku, a distinct Kyoto way of making
relays. “All of the studio’s colors are exquisite and
bamboo poles and its subsequent products. www.kyoto-miki.com
made by human hands.” www.sachio-yoshioka.com
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“ I am your moon and your moonlight too I am your flower garden and your water too I have come all this way, eager for you without shoes or shawl I want you to laugh To kill all your worries To love you To nourish you.” — Rumi
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-01-
The Bento Japan, 1185
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The bento, which originated in the late Kamakura period (1185-1333) in Japan, was created in an effort to store sustenance and snacks like dry rice in wooden lacquered boxes. -02-
弁当 Etymology
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Its characters “弁当” can be traced back to its classical Chinese origins for the words “convenience” or fangbian.
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New Heights Multi-purpose appeal
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Having undergone refinement during the Edo (1603-1867), Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) the bento culture itself became elevated as boxes became popularized by a broader range of patrons, from travelers to theatergoers.
Memento Bento
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facts & figures
hough the Japanese bento’s use as a box lunch is hardly novel—it also arose independently as the Taiwanese biandang, the Indian tiffin or the Korean dosirak—it suffuses artful elegance to an everyday ritual. For fall, Tzelan developed the Memento Bento concept for the Grand Hyatt Gurgaon Residences, a new tower development by IREO (designed by tonychi, architecture by Sir Norman Foster) in the outskirts of New Delhi, India. Custom-designed for globally minded residents, the high-quality lacquer with a screen-print silver lattice pattern integrates beautiful interior space with a tabletop surface and easily dismantles into multi-purpose serving or storage trays: one with a gold plated surface and a three-storage and four-storage divider. For further inquiries and custom specifications, email sales@tzelan.com.
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Introducing Voutsa's
G E O RG E VE NS ON portrait of an artist
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Very seldom does emerging talent appear, like an apparition, and seize the rapturous gaze of the design world’s top decorators and doyennes. Such is the case of New York-based wallpaper and lifestyle brand Voutsa, created by George Venson, 31, whose painterly prints and maniacal color combinations defy logic—they are bizarre, bold, gestural and genius. Having begun his small business—which he likens to a Duchampian machine, a living sculpture whose gears he can twist, turn and experiment with—in early 2013, Venson’s Voutsa has quickly become lauded by New York Magazine, American Vogue, World of Interiors and Architectural Digest as a rising star, gently transforming the otherwise outmoded practice of covering walls. Here, Venson explains himself, his product and his recent rise with humility and candor from the comfort of his Chelsea atelier. Who are you, George Venson? Are you an artist? The founder of Voutsa? Let’s clarify.
Who am I? I am skeptical of identifying myself as an artist because I don’t like the way our contemporary culture and the contemporary art world have defined what it is to be an artist. As a response to that, I started a brand in which the responsibilities and the daily tasks I do resonate for me more with what it means to be an artist than what I see a lot of people doing who we define as artists.
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So what then, does it mean to you to be an artist?
To me, to be an artist is freedom and operating in an unknown area, trying to make things. And that’s not to say I don’t think somebody who makes paintings or sculptures is not an artist, but the space I’m occupying as a ‘designer’ or a ‘founder of this little company’ feels almost like a living sculpture. So the things that I do all feel like little aspects of this sculpture, which is an anonymous brand, Voutsa. It’s like a Duchampian machine. It has different gears that I get to spin and turn and see how they intersect and intertwine and I like that. Making the wallpaper was the beginning and it was just out of necessity that I did everything myself because I didn’t have money or people to do things for me. So I painted and made all the patterns, I make everything. My relationship to Voutsa is what I like to think of as pleasantly complicated and it gets simplified often. I think I’m going to be doing more things with the theater or commercial stores. I’m trying to keep Voutsa as open as I can and I’m trying to get away from being pinned as a painter…
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Voutsa's dazzling menagerie print Chinoiserie mural.
But you are a painter by training, no?
I am a painter by training, but I’m an artist that essentially runs a company, which is a very strong contradiction. But I think art often requires the most polarized contradictions. That’s where you get an artwork. You don’t get it by pairing two magically beautiful things next to each other. You get it by sharp contrast. To bring it back to the product and Voutsa’s offering, as this anonymous sculptural entity, it totally embodies that contradiction. It’s super accessible—anybody can buy a roll—but at the same time it’s also really high concept. It’s shown around the world, it’s featured in the industry’s leading publications, it’s used by
Voutsa's Bird of Paradise print detail.
some of the premier decorators. Why do you think that is?
I don’t know. I just focus on these patterns. I try very hard to make them as good as they can be. I try to give them their own life. It’s not that I feel my signature is on them because I’m so good. I treat them like they are really important and they’re going to be around for a long time. I try to make them strong and I think the design world has recognized that effort. You know, here’s this person that has decided to make wallpaper. They’re all the same size. There’s not a whole lot of variation. But, the patterns resonate enough where a small portion of the world embraces them. But more than this recognition of effort, perhaps your success is indicative of something missing in the industry, something that you are fulfilling?
I think there’s definitely something missing. What’s missing are artists who run companies. You have artists trying really hard to get into Art Basel and MoMA, but you don’t have artists trying to get into Bergdorf Goodman or the Decoration & Design building. But there used to be. The creative directors of Hermès, Fortuny and Iris Apfel who did Old World Weavers, those were all high craft. Those pattern designers were fucking geniuses.
Who would you say are your greatest inspirations then, whether personally or for Voutsa?
I think I’m just inspired by challenges. People who do challenging things. I really like early Fornasetti—I like brands that I think are similar. I like artists who did things that were similar, so someone like William Kentridge. People who’ve done things for operas, theaters or plays. Can wallpaper be considered art then, or artful?
I think that my solution is to plead no contest to what people want to call wallpaper. It certainly can be treated as a really expensive, desirable thing. Similarly, so could art. It could also be treated as a throwaway thing, just like art. What can we expect to see for your new collection, due in 2016?
My new collection is going to be an attempt to reinvent a global Chinoiserie relative to the history of Chinoiserie wallpapers. Some of them are going to be more representational; some of them are going to be more abstract. I think I’ll call it Global Chinoiserie: The Seven Wonders.
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Kia Plates Made in collaboration with French heritage brand Legle and architect-cum-artist Kia Pedersen, Tzelan's Kia Plates mimic the unique, gestural dance of wind on the water. Available in four exclusive chargers and an array of sizes in brilliant blue and platinum.
SHOP NOW w w w. t z e l a n . c o m
SIZES Charger o
20
31cm
Dinner
Salad
B&B
o 24cm
o 19cm
o 16cm
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
SPECIAL THANKS:
Sonia Cheng, Rosewood www.rosewoodhotels.com George Venson, Voutsa www.voutsa.com
EDITING: DESIGN:
Elizabeth L. Peng Robert Louey Gerald Morin
PRODUCTION:
Concept Press Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Alison Chi Ben Goldstein Victor Jeffreys Gerald Morin Jennifer Siu-Rivera
ST YLING
Melissa Nicole Buck
ne w y o r k c it y t z e l a n @ t z e l a n. co m w w w. t z e l a n . co m all rights reserved
© ���5
t z e l a n i n t e r nat i o na l l l c
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patterned perfection before we say goodbye
From Tzelan's Stars & Stripes series, these multi-use lacquer boxes in arabesque motifs and chevrons add an elegant edge to home, work or tabletop display. Other colorways include soft grays and dark blue hues. Produced in Guangzhou, China. For further inquiries, contact sales@tzelan.com.
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The Fif th Quar terly | Winter 2015 Issue 5