Guan Yin in my Google Drive: An Accidental Artisan’s Efforts to Preserve an Ancient Craft

 

In 2021, Ng Tze Yong left his job as CEO of a charity to apprentice under his grandmother and father as the 6th-generation artisan in a family business dating back to 1840, hand-crafting wooden statues of Daoist and Buddhist deities using early Qing Dynasty techniques.

 

In this intimate sharing session, Tze Yong offers a rare glimpse into the puzzling world of Daoist iconography, used for depicting the innumerable gods of the Daoist pantheon and expressing the ancient values and philosophies that continue to guide our lives today.

 

But this isn’t just a story of tradition. It's also about transformation.

 

From organising an international Monkey God redesign competition to using his grandma's shop as a business case study at New York’s Parsons School of Design, Tze Yong will share the ups and downs — and the funny moments — of picking up an ancient craft, stepping into a new identity, and figuring out how to sustain the business for another 100 years.

 

Note:

– Comprises a 45-minute talk and 30-minute Q&A session

– Conducted in English

– Photos may be taken for publicity use