Design Critiques: Po Shun Leong

[Mark Singer]

Michael Stafford brought this very talented artist and woodworker to my attenrion , I think his designs are sxcellent material for a design critique. His work is very oriinal and there are many influences...I see the inspiration of Finn Juhl is many of the chairs....Please click on th link to his website and enjoy the work of Po Shun Leong

http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/index.html



http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/images/frontimagenew.jpg

http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/images/aaanewptang1.jpg


http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/images/seat10.jpg


http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/index.html

[Jim Becker]

Aside from the intricate art of that first piece, the jewelry box and chairs really have a nice flowing feel to them. The chair design even evokes easy visualization of a human form sitting comfortably in them.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The first piece has a lot of details yet unlike other pieces I've seen ....the detail belongs on that piece .....doesn't appear too busy to me.....

Like Jim said.....the other pieces have a smooth flow to them and the chairs do look like they'd be comfortable. The design of the chairs while they have a "light" appearance and feel due to the size of the frame members, the placement of the additional angled brace gives it an appearance of additional strength, something my rotund body appreciates. I like the design of the chairs.

[Michael Stafford]

What I love about his work is the intricacy, the planning that went into each piece. His work is a pleasure to explore, to find all the hidden drawers and doors. None of them are obvious. The pieces are very tactile and sensuous in both color and texture. His genius is in the planning of these incredibly complex assemblies. Somehow he envisions them, then has the skill to construct them. They are functional art that delight and amaze the owners and viewers. Woodworking eye candy for me. :D

He donates many pieces for auction to benefit good causes and often incorporates the discards of other wood workers and turners. If you look closely you can see bowl fragments that were donated to him by many famous turners. In his book he credits them for their contributions to his donated work.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

That first peice is one of those that you could look at for hours and never see all of the detail! I truely enjoy peices like that. The drawered box doesn't strike me as awe inspiring but it does look very well done.

The first thing that came to mind when I looked at that chair was comfort, a very good first reaction for a chair! I like all of it, but the chair if my favorite.

[Mark Singer]

Here are a few more pieces....please view his website...

http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/images/seat6.jpg






http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/images/seat13.jpg








http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/images/seat17.jpg



http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/images/aaanewptang10.jpg












http://www.centripedus.com/poshunleong/images/aaanewptang7.jpg

[Joe Mioux]

It appears that Po Shun Leong has turned the table on design. Rather than getting inspiration from nature, he has garnered inspiration from man's industrial design.
His designs remind me of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


That black chair is sexy.

[Michael Stafford]

I mentioned that Po Shun often collaborated with other woodworkers. Here is an art box he constructed using Bob Stocksdale's scraps and rejects. Scale is hard to judge by a picture, this piece is over 5 feet tall.

He also was inspired by ships and has built a whole series of boxes that he calls "Arks". As a teenager he built model ships and builds one "Ark" box each year. These boxes can be as large as 3 feet long and tall.

But perhaps his most incredible boxes, at least to me, are the ones he builds as pieces of functional decorative furniture. These pieces require work to find all the doors and drawers. Sometimes upon opening a door you find an architectural scene in miniature that he has hidden. Many times these scenes are lighted and mirrored.

His wheel boxes are very amusing and decorative. The highly textured drawer fronts and figured wood used for the wheel are an interesting contrast.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Mark.....after I went to his website I realized I'd been there before......I think the one thing that amazes me about him and his work is the tremedous variety of design differences from piece to piece.


Some of his designs are so "busy" that they don't appeal to me. Some of his designs are simple that they do appeal to me. But regardless, I appeciate the fact that he has the talent or ability to see such a wide spectrum of styles. Even though I don't necesarily like some of the busier pieces I can see how they'd be appealing to others.

Impressive artist!

[Earl Kelly]

Mark,

Po Shun is, what I believe a unique and timeless artist. By this, I mean, that his work will be in books and studied long after he's gone. Out of all the Furniture Society members, his work stands out as pretty unique and original. For lack of better terminology, his complex pieces look like "Rube Goldberg" furniture machines. Truly mystifying, how he can develope and build some of his pieces.

Then you look at his chairs, and it doesn't even look like the same person did them. I'm sure he does this on purpose, either for himself or to throw off the viewing public. I consider his work to be Art, that can function as Furniture.

[po shun leong]

Just to let you know that I have tried to do simple and useful furniture and as a result lived a life of a starving designer.

I have a house/garage/storage full of chairs that went nowhere.

On the other hand, my "useless" art objects have enabled us to eat well, travel and retire early and to be able to afford to design furniture.

I still believe what Henry David Thoreau said. "Simplify, simplify."

"Less is more" Mies van de Rohe

"More is a bore" famous American architect.

"Give me the luxuries of life. I can do without the neccessities". Frank Lloyd Wright.

[Mark Singer]

Po,
Interesting observation....it is your overall sense of design and sensitivity that helps to make all of your work interesting...the useful and the art...chairs and practicle furniture is difficult...some of the best ones are already made....you found a great niche that allows you to build what you like and express yourself.....there is no reason to question that....just enjoy!