逾60年歷史的荃灣南豐紗廠活化為創意培育基地 – The Mills 南豐紗廠，六號廠房改建的六廠紡織文化藝術館（CHAT by MILL6 Foundation – CHAT 六廠），邀得當代藝術大獎Turner Prize得獎建築團隊 Assemble 及日本著名藝術家田口行弘 (Taguchi Yukihiro) 參與合作。CHAT 六廠將於7月至8月舉辦 「盛夏手作：來建紡織村」共學活動，包括多場紡織工作坊、放映會、紡織歷史及藝術展覽，邀請大眾共同參與及體驗本土工藝文化。
CHAT 六廠邀請多個本地紡織及藝術單位進駐， 2樓的 CHAT迥廊打造「紡織村屋」，創作者以多種染製及編織藝術如藍染、布藝編織等設計別具特色的村屋，更展出利用傳統紡紗及環保物料如廚餘染料、舊衣物及廢棄木傢俱製作的工藝品。村屋設有各工作坊讓公眾體驗傳統及創意相容的紡織工藝，不但能學習民間梭織手藝，亦能了解紡織工業的生產過程及發掘紡織工藝的可能性。
2樓展廳更展出由日本藝術家田口行弘與本地學校、社福團體及荃灣居民合作編織的《紡織龍》，參觀者甚至可於展覽期間參與製作紡織龍。展覽更展示田口行弘織繪畫的《紡織龍》構思草圖及利用捐贈T恤製作的七彩紡織牆，現場更播放他與本地團體編織《紡織龍》的定格錄像。
南豐紗廠標誌著港人的集體回憶，CHAT 六廠更是本土社群共同參與的文化藝術項目，將於2019年春季正式開幕，藉著重塑香港紡織業歷史，推廣本土創意產業及藝術文化，宣揚「香港製造」。CHAT 六廠有望打造成荃灣新地標，成為創意文化的大本營。
With a history of spanning over 60 years, Nan Fung Textiles Mill Factory has been revitalized as The Mills to foster creativity and promote textile arts. Mill 6 is restored and transformed into Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT). CHAT has invited Turner Prize-winning team Assemble and Japan artist Taguchi Yukihiro to join the local artists to participate in the “art village” project. CHAT ‘s first pre-opening programme “CHAT GO! Let’s Build a Textile Village” takes place from 28 July to 19 August 2018, a series of diverse participatory programmes including textile arts workshops, movie screening and exhibition offer citizens an opportunity to experience the local textile culture.
CHAT has invited several local textile and craft creators to be the Artist-in-Residence at The CHAT Arcade, they are paired up as “villagers” to design and construct their unique “Textile Lodges” by applying various dyeing and weaving techniques like indigo dyeing and indigenous weaving, in which they showcase the crafts made by different textile arts such as traditional weaving, spinning technique and food-dyeing technique while some of which are made of upcycled fabrics and wood. The creator villagers host a total of six workshops in which they invite the visitors to experience the ancient weaving culture and innovative dying art, exploring the possibilities of textile art.
In Gallery One, the Spun Dragon Exhibition displays the 35-metre long spun dragon weaved by Japan artist Taguchi Yukihiro, together with local schools and Tsuen Wan residents. The visitors are welcome to participate in “dragon weaving” during the exhibition. The exhibition also showcases the spun dragon sketches and weave wall created by Taguchi Yukihiro, with the Spun Dragon Lapse aside his artworks, showing the process of dragon weaving and the collaboration between local artists and residents.
Nan Fung Textiles Mill Factory is one of the most important collective memory of Hongkongers and CHAT as an inclusive art centre embodies the collaborative effort of our community, scheduled to open in Spring 2019. CHAT aims to promote the local creative industry and textiles art culture, to resuscitate the spirit of “Made in Hong Kong”. It hopes to create a landmark in Tsuen Wan and provide a co-learning platform shared by local creative business, artists and residents.
盛夏手作：來建紡織村 CHAT GO! Let’s Build a Textile Village
Date:
2018.7.28 – 2018.8.19
Time:
Wednesday to Sunday 11:00 – 19:00
Venue:
CHAT by MILL6 Foundation – CHAT 六廠
六廠紡織文化藝術館
香港荃灣白田壩街45號南豐紗廠
CHAT, The Mills, 45 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan
Artists:
Assemble，田口行弘 (Taguchi Yukihiro)
Collaborators:
Dyelicious 染樂工房、容姐姐、二胡婆婆、綠腳丫、Reborn Story、破。格 (Breakthrough Art Studio)、巨人染 Giants Tie Dye、勵智蜂基金、Kraptr、樣品製造 (made in sample)
Background music by Ikson – Lights