Tim Yip (Hong Kong)
From epic stage sets to elaborate costume designs, Tim Yip is a highly regarded production and costume designer to some of the most stylised Chinese films.

The first Asian ever to receive an Academy Award for his art direction in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, he brought a visually arresting world of martial arts to the Western eye whilst winning audiences worldwide with his elegant, oriental style. An aesthetic he defines as "new-orientalism," he applies his creative vision across film, television, photography, fashion, visual arts and theatre. Other notable works that carry his name include the stage production of Medea, television drama Oranges Turn Ripe, as well as the films Temptation of a Monk and Double Vision. Lauded for his stunning costume designs, he has held sartorial exhibitions all over the world that include installations and photography.

With over two decades of industry experience, Yip, who has collaborated with acclaimed film directors such as Ang Lee, John Woo, Tsui Hark, Tsai Ming Liang and Chen Kaige amongst others, has also worked with many renowned performing arts groups in Taiwan. These include Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Contemporary Legend Theatre, Han Tang Yue-fu Dance Ensemble, Tai-Gu Tales Dance Theatre and U Theatre. Many of the productions he has worked on have toured China, Austria, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore etc.

In his latest artistic endeavour, he teams up with Akram Khan as visual designer for dance production, DESH.

Read our Exclusive Q&A with Tim Yip!

IN CONVERSATION WITH Tim Yip (Hong Kong)
New Orientalism
Moderated by Lim How Ngean
Tim Yip will reveal the thinking behind his distinctive aesthetic, New Orientalism, which is about viewing the world through the prism of "being" and "unbeing". "Being" refers to areas we can connect to, and which are within the realm of our imagination, such as myths and poems. "Unbeing" refers to areas that are beyond the scope of our wisdom, yet co-exist with us in the same time-space and control our lives. New Orientalism is the search for the source of human ideas through the times, divining its mystery, chaos, truth and fiction, and eventually realising that ours is a multi-dimensional world that transcends time and space. The beauty of New Orientalism arts fully reflects the mysterious wonder of this epic journey.
1 Jun 2012, Fri, 4.30pm (1hr 30mins)
Esplanade Recital Studio