Embroidering about Hong Kong

Suzuki Kumiko

香港在日本人眼中是個充滿魅力的都會,從宛如魔都般存在的九龍城寨、頭頂蔓生橫出的霓虹燈招牌、馬路上呼嘯而過的雙層巴士,對日本人來說都是值得驚奇的異國風情。而以下要介紹的這位日本女生,就用上她自己最擅長的刺繡技藝,編出了對香港的城市印象。

Suzuki Kumiko於出版社上班,工餘時喜愛研究刺繡,從2011年起她全職投入在刺繡事業上,並積極與不同的設計師、時裝品牌和音樂人合作。自言香港是她最喜愛的城市,前陣子創作了「HONG KONG」這一系列的刺繡作品,從香港的交通工具、餐廳飲食,到霓虹燈招牌都包含在內,中間還不乏一些標誌性的香港人回憶,像是在中環有近八十年歷史陸羽茶室、於旺角逾半世紀的中國冰室等,均是歷史感深厚的老香港之地;其主題選材相當的道地,要說Suzuki Kumiko是一個「香港通」也不為過。如果你想把Suzuki Kumiko的刺繡帶回家,不妨到文化屋雑貨店尖沙嘴店晃晃,店內陳列了Suzuki Kumiko與文化屋雑貨店的合作商品,從綿布包至托特包都有。

文化屋雑貨店
香港九龍尖沙咀金巴利街22號1樓

In the eyes of Japanese, Hong Kong is a metropolitan city brimming with charm and appeal. From the demonic Kowloon Walled City, the criss-crossing and crowded neon signs hanging overhead, to double-decker buses roaring past on the streets, they are all exotic sights that have struck the Japanese with wonder and astonishment. Introduced below is a Japanese who has used embroidery, her best skill, to sew her impression of Hong Kong as a city.

Suzuki Kumiko used to work at a publishing house, and outside of work, she liked to dig into embroidery. Since 2011, she has devoted to embroidery full-time work, making an active effort to collaborate with a variety of designers, fashion brands and musicians. With Hong Kong being her top favorite city, she has earlier created a series of embroidery pieces titled “HONG KONG”; among her portrayals are modes of transportation, restaurants and food as well as neon signs and billboards, including no lack of those representative of Hong Kong people’s collective memory, such as Luk Yu Tea House in Central, which boasts almost 80 years of history, and China Tea House in Mong Kok, which has been around for more than half a century. All of them are old sites in Hong Kong full of deep historical overtones. Given that her work features themes that are closely in tune with local interests, it is indeed not an exaggeration to regard Suzuki Kumiko as a Hong Kong expert. If you wanna take Suzuki Kumiko’s works home, you should probably visit the Bunkaya Zakkaten in Tsim Sha Tsui, as they are showcasing the collaboration series between Suzuki Kumiko and Bunkaya Zakkaten, including storage bags, tote bags and so on.

BUNKAYA ZAKKATEN
22 Kimberley St, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

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