Chinoiserie - Introduction

AA Diploma 13 - The Reformed Grammar of Ornament

* Chinoiserie, a French term, signifying 'Chinese resque', refers to a recurring theme in European artistic styles since the 17th century, which reflect Chinese artistic influence. It is characterized by the use of fanciful imagery of an imaginary China, by asymmetry in format, 3 dimensional representation of floral pattern on carpet and wallpaper, contrasts of scale in garden design and by the attempts to imitate Chinese porcelain. (Wiki, 2012)

Agreat deal of Ming porcelain was brought to England where it was regarded as amagnificent luxury and often embellished with mounts of silver or gold. Theeastern and western styles were unified in those artifacts, which furtherinfluence the two main materials in the project.

Chen was inspired to study the difference in principles of Chinese aesthetic ofminiature landscape to a picturesque English garden.

All the element forming the project are basedon the 20 plates Anglo-Chinese ornament system which could be separated into 4 differentcategories and 5 different formats.

Chen's Reformed Grammar of Ornament was developedinto architectural details pertaining to structure, circulation, surfaces, joints,openings and services. From these established loci of ornamental performance,anew ornate architecture emerged. Idiosyncratic ornamental languages were testedagainst a highly charged site, the complexities of national identity,contemporary political and cultural desires of representation, aesthetictraditions and functional requirements for beauty, meaningful expression andmaterial sophistication. (AA Project Review Dip 13, 2010)

Naturalistic

Geometric

Materialistic

Iconographic

In grammar of ornament, Owen Jones hasconcluded that Chinese naturalistic patterns distinct to other countries,because of its shading and relief in the representation of flowers.

However, this character of the three -dimensionality representation of flowers in carpets was put on the crown of"the bad taste" in the Great Exhibition, according to Pugin...........

"Flock flowers are admirable. Substitutes for the ancient hangings, but then they must consist of a pattern without shadow, with the forms relieved by the introduction of harmonious colours.

These observations will apply to modern carpets, the patterns of which are generally shaded. Nothing can be more ridiculous than an apparently reversed growing to walk upon, or highly relieved foliage and perforated tracery for the decoration of a floor.

The ancient paving tiles are quite consistent with their purpose, being merely ornamented with a pattern not produced by any apparent relief, but only by contrast of colour; and carpets should be treated in precisely the same manner.”

---A. Welby Pugin

Withrespect to the English taste, a security landscape will be installed in frontof the embassy. It is a three-dimensional fake garden inspiredby two dimensional traditional Chinese porcelain pattern with British flowers.

According to Pugin, itquietly screams out" do-not step-on me" and "no trespassing isallowed". This silent notion suits its function to be a security zonewhich is a restricted area.