La main de la bête

Ever since early childhood, Ricky Wong has been attached to designs. He would follow his elder brothers to actively run around in their grandfather's furniture plant ; and at the age of 8, he already knew how to reconfigure a cart into a primitive bike to have fun riding on it to places. His grandfather and some skilled practitioners had seriously taught him how to focus on producing a piece of authentic furniture. Ricky was fanatically in love with designs when he reached secondary school. He could recall how he wandered after school to different shops and arcades associating everything with designs. The vibrant colours, unique features, and dynamic designs captured his heart. Today, design has become a sensual appeal for Ricky. As a renowned interior designer, he sees design as a fusion of various elements articulated in time and space to promote a unique ambience that brings sensual appeal. Therefore you can always find in his design some prevailing characteristics that draw pleasing affections. Among the fabulous masterpieces he has completed, Ricky - who is devoted to Zen, has offered plenty spatial designs which are accentuated with ethnical Chinese Zen. In today's popularized Chinese sentiments, he has seen exclusive elements to signature the sensation ; for instance, the inevitable inclusion in the furniture and fixtures some intricate carvings of the Ming or Ching dynasties. He believes it is a stereotyping of Chinese designs, 'actually Chinese sensations can be delivered in an abstract expression. ' Ricky opines that sensual appeals are essentials to express Chinese sentiments. If Chinese designers do not change their identical methodology, it may prohibit the endless possibilities and originalities that may otherwise emerge. '... the more focused people are on intricacy, a resulting overwhelm of complexity may arise because you can never compete with an artisan of the Ming or Ching dynasty on elaborated intricacy. It is not interior design to solely engage on extending a former system, instead, picking a symbolizing characteristic to express a concept triggers an amiable plan. ' He has demonstrated through the selected projects in this book how to retain the essence of past glory and rejuvenate it with brand new interpretations. 'I don't just explore history. I would rather focus on the application of materials or visual stimuli to deliver sensational components for an expression of intrinsic qualities, not physical presentation ; and complement it with creativity to bring new definitions to a design. ' Ricky stated that an adorable sensual appeal must be able to touch people's hearts. Amongst all the interior designers, I. M. Pei is his favourite because his designs can stimulate people to connect with the environment. He has lifted the complexity of the magnitude of China and its extensive historical and cultural ethnicity to a spiritual level which enables Chinese designs to leap forward. 'I. M. Pei's museum design in his birthplace - Suzhou is my favourite pick. The building blends in with the environment as a single entity ; it resembles a lost horizon which triggers unsurpassed sensual appeal. ' When asked what kind of sensual appeal is most touching, Ricky said, 'To dwell in a comfortable place with family and enjoy a moment of tranquility together is the most touching scene and desirable sensual appeal for me. '

Ching Chong le Chinois. Né dans un bocal, baptisé dans une théière..." Tel est le méchant refrain que chantent les gamins de Wellington lorsqu'ils croisent Yung, le marchand de primeurs. Comme beaucoup de ses concitoyens, Yung a quitté pays et famille pour la Nouvelle Montagne d'Or - le nom plein de promesses que les immigrants donnent à la Nouvelle-Zélande en ce début de XXe siècle. C'est l'amour de Katherine, une jeune veuve, mère de deux enfants, qui l'aidera à surmonter ce racisme quotidien et à comprendre les moeurs des "diables blancs" britanniques. Mais dans cette société corsetée, une femme qui s'éprend d'un Chinois - "pire qu'un Juif, à peine mieux qu'un chien" - s'expose à tout perdre. Drame magistralement orchestré jusqu'au crescendo final, réflexion sur le racisme et l'émancipation des femmes, Les amants papillons porte son auteur au premier plan de la scène littéraire néo-zélandaise.

Comme nombre de ses concitoyens, Yung Wong a quitté Canton pour la « Nouvelle Montagned'Or », une Nouvelle-Zélande pleine de promesses pour les immigrants chinois du début du XXesiècle. Alors que ce jeune marchand rêve de poésie et de modernité, il est confronté très vite à laxénophobie quotidienne des « diables blancs » de Wellington. Sa rencontre avec Katherine, jeuneveuve d'un journaliste macho, raciste et arrogant, adoucit bientôt la douleur de l'exil. Mais danscette société corsetée, une femme qui s'éprend d'un Chinois s'expose à tout perdre...

Dans ce roman graphique intime et émouvant, Teresa Wong écrit et illustre l'histoire de sa lutte contre la dépression post-partum sous forme d'une lettre à sa fille Scarlet. Déchirant et drôle, Chère Scarlet rend parfaitement compte du désespoir silencieux de celles qui souffrent de dépression post-partum et du profond sentiment de culpabilité et d'incompétence. Chère Scarlet est un parcours poignant et profondément personnel à travers les complexités de la nouvelle maternité, offrant de l'espoir aux personnes touchées et l'assurance qu'elles ne sont pas seules