the still works


The still works
daihongyu974@gmail.com

address: Per Wickenbergsgatan 5, 217 54 Malmö, Sweden

The still works is a design and art platform dedicated to fostering meaningful connections between art, craft, heritage, and contemporary design across East Asia and the Nordic region. Rooted in cultural research and dialogue, we curate and produce original design works and offer a carefully selected range of artworks for sale.

As a dynamic space for creative exchange, The still works supports designers and artists from East Asia and the Nordics by facilitating collaborative projects, exhibitions, and events. Our goal is to nurture localised, long lasting practices that honour tradition while encouraging current needs and cross-cultural understanding.


founder
The still works is founded by Hongyu Dai, an industrial designer based in Sweden. Hongyu’s design practice spans a wide range of disciplines, from industrial products and furniture to ceramic tableware and home goods. Guided by a commitment to honest and functional design, she creates objects that bring genuine value to daily life—pieces made to be used, appreciated, and lived with.

Growing up in China in an artistic family, Hongyu was immersed in creativity from an early age. Under the guidance of her father, a traditional Chinese landscape painter, she developed a deep passion for shanshui (landscape) painting. This early training not only shaped her visual sensibility but also instilled in her an understanding of cultural heritage as something living, evolving, and deeply personal.

Since moving to Sweden, the contrast between Eastern and Nordic landscapes has sharpened her connection to her roots and deepened her desire to share Chinese painting with the wider world. Through her work, she envisions building a bridge between East Asia and the Nordic region—a platform where artists, designers, and audiences from both cultures can meet, exchange ideas, and inspire one another.