Galvanized iron is an alloy of iron coated with zinc, which is soft and durable. It is the most affordable metal amongst all metals. Galvanized iron can be flattened and folded tightly to form a joint, not requiring any glue or nail. In this workshop, the participant will discover and explore the natures of galvanized iron. There are seven traditional galvanized iron craft techniques – drawing, marking, cutting, wrapping, folding, flattening, and buckling. Through hands-on experience, the participant will learn three basic skills, cutting, flattening and buckling. With the concept of design thinking, you will create a simple structure like sculpture, geometric plate, or a buckle box.

Traditional Craftsman

Master Michael Yu is a Metalsmith specialized in galvanized iron and has been engaged in the galvanized iron industry for over thirty years, mainly making air conditioning ducts for a living in the beginning. Starting in 2010, he began exploring the use of galvanized iron to create unique crafts and daily necessities. In his spare time, he co-organizes workshops with different organizations, mainly teaching the making of traditional mailboxes to promote and revitalize the craft of galvanized iron.

Contemporary Artisan

Gamzar is a multilingual contemporary artisan and product designer passionate about cultures and traditional handicraft, who pursued his bachelor’s degree in Shanghai and his master’s degree in Paris. The bamboo design work he did was awarded as the first prize in a bamboo design competition held in Yong An, Fujian, China and was selected and presented in the July Edition of Architecture Digest(China version). After working with crafts for a year and a half, he was awarded the French National Scholarship and enrolled in the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers in Paris for postgraduate study. In 2020, he started exploring galvanized iron with Master Michael Yu.

(Text written by @CraftsOnPeel)