(Hong Kong, 30 September 2026) – Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) is pleased to announce the launch of Ripples & Pulses Between the Rings – Growth Ring × ALVDALEN Joint Woodcraft Sharing, running from 30 September to 31 December 2026 at the Sunshine Hall, our learning and presentation space.

In a city surrounded by mountains and sea, wood is all around us. With the turn of the seasons, typhoon-felled trunks and pruned branches from routine woodland maintenance are often treated as garden refuse destined for landfills. Yet wood is never merely waste; it records the passage of rain and wind and holds the living memory of local soil.

This flagship joint woodcraft sharing brings together two key creative journeys:

1. The graduation works of 12 cross-generational apprentices from the six-month Growth Ring: Empowering Wood Upcycling through Training and Innovation | Apprenticeship Training Programme, fully sponsored by the Chan Chong Charitable Foundation.
2. A large-scale conceptual installation by KFBG’s 2026-2027 Artists-in-Residence, Alvdalen
   (Justin Chan and Vivian Law).

All featured works are crafted primarily from fallen logs, salvaged urban branches and routine horticultural prunings collected across KFBG grounds and Hong Kong. Through this sharing, visitors are invited to reflect on the complete life cycle of trees and discover the vital dialogue between intangible cultural heritage, contemporary art and ecological conservation.

Rigorous Selection of 12 Apprentices: Practical Ecology Meets Living Heritage

The Growth Ring programme received over 100 applications following an introductory briefing attended by more than 200 participants. Twelve apprentices representing diverse generations and backgrounds were selected, including recent fine arts graduates, engineers, archivists, slashers and active retirees embracing lifelong learning.

Curated by the Art Education team under KFBG’s Holistic Education Department, the curriculum departs from standard woodworking classes by tracing wood back to its origin. Botanists from KFBG’s Flora Conservation Department guided apprentices through local forests to identify native tree species and understand wood anatomy, followed by visits to local sawmills to witness the handling, drying and preparation of raw wood.

Apprentices subsequently studied under three distinguished local masters:

• Master Siu Ping Keung, a veteran woodcarver with over six decades of heritage experience;
• Master Lam Che, founder of Che Artisan Workshop, known for transforming salvaged wood through traditional joinery;
• Jacky Lam Kwan Yau, an academic specialist integrating mechanical precision with traditional lacquerware and woodturning.

Under their guidance, apprentices trained in two recognised items of Hong Kong’s Intangible Cultural Heritage: traditional woodcarving and wooden furniture making. Under a deposit-retention structure that required an 85% attendance rate and a commitment to 30 hours of volunteer teaching, the programme embodies a complete cycle of learning, assisting and public engagement.

Showcase Highlights: Four Curatorial Movements Rooted in ‘Head, Heart and Hands’

Rooted in KFBG’s educational philosophy of integrating Head, Heart and Hands, the presentation unfolds across four interconnected chapters: Earth (地), Humanity (人), Spirit (天) and Trinity (仨):

• Master-Apprentice Collaborative Relief Native Wood Flying Dragon: Designed and led by Master Siu Ping Keung and carved collectively by all 12 apprentices from salvaged camphor wood, reviving the collaborative spirit of historic woodcarving workshops and breathing fresh vitality into the dragon motif.
• Individual Apprentice Works: Highlights include Priscilla Ng’s Growth Rings and Tides, translating sea hare forms through salvaged camphor and reclaimed wood; Ryan Man’s Nexus, a 15-layer Luban lock assembled from 129 wood pieces without nails or glue; Lisa Lam’s Wasp Coffin, honouring a tiny pollinator using Taiwan acacia; Wong Shing-lung’s Turntable Console, crafted to play synthesiser music to greenhouse plants; and Joe Cheng’s Resurrected Wood, employing 45-degree mitre joints to create the illusion of curved, supple
• Artist-in-Residence Alvdalen: Three-way Relationships: The Pulse of the Forest: Standing two metres tall, this vertical sculpture crafted from camphor wood and Chinese hackberry is inspired by the vertical narrative of indigenous totem poles. An owl presides above as the guardian of forest balance. Natural wood shavings from the carving process spread across the floor in concentric rings, carrying the fragrance of the forest and symbolising unseen ecological connections.

Interactive Highlights, Guided Tours and Workshops

To make the tactile warmth of wood accessible to the broader public, the event features several engagement programmes:

• Interactive Battle “Arena”: Visitors can assemble and paint their own retro spinning top made from upcycled wood, then test spin durations on a dedicated arena to compete for the top five spots on the leaderboard.

• Woodcraft & Lower Area Tree Tour: Led by experienced docents, this walking tour guides visitors from the indoor displays to the Lower Area forest, exploring key native species such as the Incense Tree, Water Golden Buttercup and native banyans.

• Apprentice-led Public Workshops: Hands-on sessions including the Hand-carved Wooden Dish Workshop and Family Wooden Stool Workshop, guiding participants in using traditional chisels and mortise-and-tenon joints.

• Masterclasses by Alvdalen: Engaging workshops including an Owl in the Tree Hollow Pen Holder Workshop and a family carving session.

Collaborations with Local Woodcraft Studios for Exclusive Cultural Souvenirs

To further support local artisans and empower the community, KFBG has partnered with several independent local wood studios and design labels to produce a limited collection of natural souvenirs using KFBG’s wood. Every piece highlights the distinctive character of local wood across play, tactile experience, domestic aesthetics and practical use:

• Nature Exploration & Making: Partnering with Bespecial to introduce the Forest Animal: Little Owl Carving Kit, which uses salvaged Chinese hackberry pruned due to pests, complete with tools and video tutorials for a mindful carving experience at home; and collaborating with OLO Puzzles to present the playful Retro Wooden Spinning Top Kit.
• Everyday Living & Home Accents: Partnering with Che Artisan Workshop to celebrate traditional joinery through the Mortise & Tenon Boat Incense Holder, Geometric Interlocking Coaster and Portable Natural Wood Whistle; alongside Chichoimao to craft the tactile and functional Magnetic Wooden Poster Hanger and Mini Wooden Photo Clip, bringing forest memories into domestic living.
• Carrying Forward Botanical Greenery: Following the popularity of last year’s native plant embroidered pins, KFBG has teamed up once more with Taiwanese embroidery brand Littdlework to launch the Hong Kong Native Tree Embroidered Pin Set, intricately sketching the character of indigenous trees through fine needlework.

 

All proceeds from merchandise sales, net of production costs, will be donated to KFBG to support local flora conservation and ecological education initiatives.

Ripples & Pulses Between the Rings: Growth Ring × ALVDALEN Joint Woodcraft Sharing
Dates: 30 September 2026 to 31 December 2026
Opening Hours: 9:30am to 4:30pm daily
Venue: Sunshine Hall, KFBG
Admission: Indoor study and sharing area (Sunshine Hall) operates with quota management. All visitors must pre-register for free as Friends of Growth Ring, or be registered participants of designated tours and workshops. Admission tickets to KFBG must be purchased separately at the main entrance.
Webpage: https://s.kfbg.org/hMo30U
Friends of Growth Ring registration: https://bit.ly/4rF3yJl

About Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG)

Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) is spread over 148 hectares of land on the northern slopes of Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong's highest mountain, near the town of Tai Po. Formerly known as the Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Association (KAAA), established in 1956, it gradually transformed in the later period to focus on science-based species conservation and ecosystem restoration, and has become a precious conserved area where the public can experience and connect to nature. On the slopes, there are live animal display areas, theme gardens, terraced farms and conservation and educational facilities. Through nature conservation, diverse and holistic education, and sustainable living projects, we try to harmonise our relationship with the environment and live sustainably with respect for each other and nature.

Issued by: Communication and Marketing Department of Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden For media enquiries, please contact:

Sammi Chan
Tel: 2483 7279
Email: sammi.chan@kfbg.org

Cherry Wong
Tel: 6125 0836 (WhatsApp only)
Email: cherry.yw.wong@kfbg.org