Chinese Carving

Knowing the history of your craft is of the utmost importance for any artist. Artists need to know where their art has come from, how it has developed and changed over time as well as its current state in regards to trends and techniques. I love carving fruit and vegetables more than I enjoy cooking itself. There is a sense of artistry and serenity that I find when carving which I simply don't feel when I am cooking a regular dish. The above video is a rare example of the style of original Chinese carvings. The vast majority or carving seen on sites such as http://www.youtube.com/ and www.google.com/images are based more on Thai techniques as well as variations of Thai carving adapted by today's artists. The Chinese however have a slightly different style which is seldomly seen in the US as well as online. The above video shows a level of craftmanship which in my opinion extends far beyond many Thai techniques. One of the main features which makes this particular piece Chinese is how the individual pieces almost interweave and make a somewhat abstract design. In many Thai carvings there is a central vocal point, usually a flower or two and the entire piece is comprised of supporting pieces to that main focal point. The following picture is an example of such Thai carving.



In this video you can see how there is a central focal point, in this case the flower. On the sides there are multiple petals, as well as some leaves all carved for the most part, flat into the melon.

Today the majority of carvings seen are this Thai style. The reason? Well, in my opinion as a carver, it is because the Thai style is done very quickly in comparison the the Chinese style, and in our fast pased food industry today...time is money so therefore speed = money. Will there be a revitalization of such Chinese style? Or will it be lost to time efficiency seen in Thai style? Only time will really tell.