AMBELIE and Giovannoni Tian Architects (NI-T) present an exhibition of Oriental screens and furniture at Rouyun Space, a century-old Gan-style mansion. Exploring harmony between East and West, past and present, it features Qing-to-20th-century screens and classic furniture, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design to create a serene dialogue between space, art and time.
AMBELIE, together with Giovannoni Tian Architects (NI-T), presents an exhibition of Oriental screen collections and furniture design at Rouyun Space, exploring the fusion of East and West, transcending time and tradition.
Within the square halls of Rouyun Space, a century-old Gan-style architectural gem, clouds are embraced and Oriental romanticism fully explored, establishing a realm of aesthetic and artistic imagination. Here, furniture transcends mere display; it carries the essence of time, space, and spirit. As a curatorial furniture gallery, AMBELIE draws from the aesthetic logic of Rouyun Space, placing each artwork into contemporary life, fostering a natural dialogue between space and observer.
The exhibition features a selection of significant screens from the Qing dynasty to the 20th century, alongside Western classic furniture, and extends to curated works representing traditional crafts from East and West, past and present. Within the secluded elegance of Rouyun Space’s Ming and Qing-era mansion, these pieces echo the historical narrative of the architecture while reflecting contemporary lifestyles, inviting visitors to savor their beauty thoughtfully.
Screens embody an aesthetic between display and concealment: the visible dazzles with gilded colors and ornate detail, while the concealed hides in privacy and depth. As symbols of status among Jiangnan literati during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and as important overseas trade commodities, screens carried layered functions of reflection, dialogue, and power. Their cloud-like surfaces resonate with the classical Oriental romantic “clouds” of Rou Yun Fang, yet when screens traveled abroad, they encountered the “west wind”—reconstructing the brilliance of contemporary home art today.
Beyond screens, the exhibition further explores dialogues between Eastern and Western crafts: Japanese gilded screens that captivated Europe a century ago, contemporary Chinoiserie-inspired art screens blending French and Chinese aesthetics, highland handwoven Tibetan rugs imbued with Eastern sensibilities, the legendary Italian Renaissance craft of Pietra Dura inlaid stonework, and the lighting artistry of Venice’s centennial Fortuny… Each piece responds to one another across eras, cultures, craftsmanship, and aesthetic principles, collectively weaving a cross-cultural, cross-temporal artistic conversation.
At the place “Of Rising Clouds and West Wind”, clouds and wind nurture each other from the beginning, circulating through eternity—presenting the moment while preserving the timelessness embedded within design.
Of Rising Clouds and West Wind
——Exhibition of Oriental Screens and Furniture Design
2025.10.01-2026.03.01 (10:00-17:30)
