“Experience what it is like to speed down the [ski jumping] ramp and launch yourself into the sky!”
Kwoa’s Leaflet Collection
One day, Kwoa‘s dumped a huge bag in the middle of the atelier. Not that unusual considering that our mascot tends to bring a lot of random junk back.
With a broad smile, Kwoa proudly introduced his lifelong collection of leaflets. Past the original surprise, we slowly dived into the material. Effy picked a handful: Malaysian resorts, French exhibitions, Singaporean custom declarations, Macao regulations, Chinese revolutionary museums, US guide maps, Indonesian malls, Indian menus, and so on…
The variety of designs, styles, colors, languages, themes, and concepts: mesmerizing and incredibly inspiring!
We slowly fell in love with it and decided to start recording this treasure bag, doting these gems to recreate Kwoa’s life map.
In the process, we decided to reproduce some of the best quotes we found, informative, thoughtful, naive, ironic, curious, surreal… and propose these inspirational lines for everyone to enjoy!!
(Note: 1. links to original source is indicated when available for curious people (external sites, no relation with Effy Creations apart from being on Kwoa’s route at some point in time), 2. all quotes are direct transcript from english leaflets (no translation), spelling or grammar mistakes included.)
Random Quote ~ Art & Museum Leaflets
“The houses that seem similar at a glance but are actually different remind us of unity within diversity found among humankind.”
Random Quote ~ Tourism Leaflets
“Giant gold cat beckons you to the temple haunted by countless goblin cats!”
Kwoa’s Latest Tribulations
Quotes Full Archives
“We wear masks just like you. We are replacing things with math, while your ideas are building up in your body like fat.”
“Dansaekhwa considers the complete “method” of painting as its art, where the work of art is based on actions rather than expressions.”
“They got together for business and offered sacrifice to the Queen of Heaven.”
“…the complexity of an era which appears constantly pregnant with advances and regressions, to the point that it is sometimes difficult to assess the direction of social and cultural changes.”
“As the roosters begin to crow and first light arrives, you’ll find yourself in front of the most important religious monument in Cambodia.”
“The sea can hold the water from thousands of rivers, it’s big because of its capacity.”
“Only by studying, can you deal with things reasonably and consciously.”
“Experience the truth of nature that human beings are shaped by the land around them.”
“Every perfume needs a stone in its shoe, something that irritates, an emotional asperity.”
“Wushu […] originates from the universe and matures with its integration.”
“Dance like there’s no tomorrow. Cheer those who already are.”
“JUE (pronounced joo-eh) -verb: to sense; to awaken.”
“Val de Loire […] of peasants who cultivated the language of the land and of poets who exalted the charms of the language of love.”
“Petit Bateau comforters are made from wonderful fabrics with lovely finishing details and are certainly made to last. But with their little bunny or mouse faces, our soft new arrivals are mainly made for loving.”
“Protect moon bears, boycott bear bile!”
“Urban Best Practice Area (UBPA) provides an opportunity for cities to participate in Expo 2010 independently. It not only exhibits various internationally-recognized valuable practices cases and entities that aim at not only improving people’s living standards but also providing a platform for world cities to exchange urban development experience.”
“Taxis in Indonesia are cheap and plentiful, and thankfully air conditioned.”
“Warning. Death for drug traffickers under Singapore law.”
“Suzhou classical gardens […] are unique in the whole world in terms of their history […] and the height of artistic achievement. Headed by the Humble Administrator’s Garden, there are now nine of them inscribed on the World Heritage List for their exemplary integration of art, nature and the embodied philosophy, and for their representation of the harmony between the nature and people.”
“the Perak Man, […] dated to about 10,000-11,000 years old. It is the oldest, almost complete skeleton found in South East Asia.”
“The exhibition here charts the history of the control and administration of the foreign powers; the Portuguese, Dutch, British, and Japanese and its subsequent effects on the political, social and economic situation of the nation.”
“Eat Well, Live Well. All in Good OCT EAST”
“we are […] dedicated to promoting an atmosphere of responsible gaming.”
“The between land and sea discovery trail. 1h in a loop accessible to people of all ages.”
“Happiness, Warmth and Love are so universally recognized, it transcend cultural barriers.”
“Recyclez vos cles au centquatre.”
“Doorstep to paradise.”
“the National Mosque (Masjid Negara) […] multifold umbrella-like roof signifies the five pillars of Islam and the 13 states of Malaysia.”
“the Islamic Centre is a showcase of modern cubist architecture combined with traditional Islamic design.”
“It was here that the Union-Jack was lowered at midnight on August 31, 1957 and independence was proclaimed.”
“Customer’s complaint check list: Impolite Manner, Blackmail, Drive in lost, Drop off in improper Deist, Non Meter Tariff, Left Properties, Inappropriate meter rate”
“The art of Dansaekhwa emphasizes “restoration”; in other words, it not only emphasizes simplicity in pursuing the natural, humble and homogenous, but also rejects figuration, symbols, and perpective.”
“You can choose to use pure sense of hearing to feel the live recording from great estuary regions or to experience the unique feeling of beautiful estuary from the viewpoint of a freely flying bird in the sky or a shuttling fish in the ocean.”
“This baby booklet is an attempt to cut down on paper waste whilst still making your experience outrageously enjoyable!”
“The Secret Garden was intended as a place for kings and royal family members to relax.”
“Although YeonGyeongDang Hall was built in the royal palace, its architectural structure and non-coloring style are close to those of gentry level.”
“This programme sheet is designed to make your experience incredibly smooth and outrageously enjoyable.”
“Giant gold cat beckons you to the temple haunted by countless goblin cats!”
“The girl is pictured carrying a mug of hot chocolate – something considered as precious as gold at that time.”
“One day, when the founder of Ishiya returned home from cross-country skiing, he casually described the gently falling snowflakes as “white beloved ones” [Shiroi Koibito].”
“Ukiyo-e-design chocolate packaging, which is considered valuable as it reflects the daily lives of people in those days.”
“The virtue of building house can be sensed in Gamcheon-dong as each house is built not to block the front view of the house behind.”
“The houses that seem similar at a glance but are actually different remind us of unity within diversity found among humankind.”
“Visitor’s Manner: Please speak in a soft voice to avoid causing any disturbance to the village residents and refrain from taking pictures in ways that infringe on their privacy.”
“Roads were so bad as to be described as ‘Fit for neither man nor beast’”
“Susukino – the largest entertainment district north of Tokyo – is comprised of approximately 3,500 restaurants and entertainment facilities.”
“Bell of Happiness at summit observatory is registered as lovers sanctuary.”
“Chicken is known as a low calorie diet food with high protein. Its protein stimulates and promotes the brain activities, and the essential amino acids relieve stress. Un-saturated fatty acids and linolenic acid prevent arteriosclerosis and heart troubles and also it has anti-cancer effect.”
“The origin of Dakgalbi is ‘Dakbulgogi’, a side dish for drinkers in 1960, a substitute of pork dishes.”
“What look describes you? Choose to be a high-style celebrity, an elegant princess, a witty fairy, or even a cute Barbie doll.”
“Keep up the good work and remember to think pink!”
“In the super-stylish Design Center, girls will enjoy a hands-on experience at the computer station that takes them through every step of the design process to create their very own Styled by Me Barbie doll.”
“It’s a place where girls can be girls and where dreams really do come true!”
“Experience a wondrous world of shopping at The Peak, where Hong Kong’s favourite pastime literally reaches new heights.”
“It is so steep that buildings you pass look like they are leaning as you travel on a gradient of between 4 to 27 degrees!”
“Experience what it is like to speed down the [ski jumping] ramp and launch yourself into the sky!”
“Whether they play music, mine bitcoin, or chat with us, the bots’ influence grows. As a consequence of this development, we might ask if we are becoming bots ourselves? Human dependency on computation has become mutually reinforcing on multiple levels, going beyond binary opposition.”
“The ability to navigate the world of code, hand in hand with digital literacy, are essential to contemporary society in the age of planetary-scale computation, especially when algorithmic agents, among others bots, are designed to influence public opinion.”
“I want to play with flowers all day long – the wish of a woman has been realized as an 18,000-tsubo (59,400 square meters) flower garden.”
“This mysterious man made pond [Shirogane] changes into various shades of blue, depending on the weather for the day.”
“Dotorimuk (Acorn Jelly): This dish is made with sliced acorn jelly, kimchi, and dried seaweed served in a broth base made of radish, anchovies, and kelp.”
“Naesosagoryeodongjong is a Buddhist bell, which occupies the first place of Buddhist metal craftworks. There has been so an original style in Korean Buddhist Bell that it has been called Korean bell.”
“For realizing creative design in real life, we may our inspiration bloom splendidly by Holy Moly, as such a platform that we will make every effort for growing enrichment.” [Effy’s note: “???”]
“Because “Fete de la Musique” has become such a strong and celebrated tradition in France, we have decided to bring the concept to Shanghai […]. The Mayor immediately supported the project […]. Of course, the concept has to be adapted to the local context, but the spirit will be there.”
“Shanghai is the birthplace for Chinese pop music, and it is also where the Chinese music industry blossomed into maturity. Historically, Shanghai has a very international conception of music and has developed an urban musical culture of her own, welcoming foreign influences. From Zhou Xuan to old jazz musicians at the Peach Hotel, from community musical events to international music festivals, concerts and performances, all of these aspects showcase the city’s unique taste in music.”
“Perfume is first and foremost a creation of the mind. Its author conceives of it, imagines it, before breathing it.”
“Although perfumers are traditionally compared to composers of music, I have always felt like a writer of scents.”
“Speaking with growers fills me with olfactory emotions, which I then translate into perfume.”
I was trained in the traditional way. When heritage is passed on to you, you have to keep it alive and pass it on to others.”
“I like the animal, the sensual, the sexual. I like to take a firm stance.”
“I love the curiosity, the pleasure of smell. People who dare, who love to smell, are drawn to peculiar odours.”
“Even when the instructions are very specific, scent is quite subjective. That’s where creative freedom lies, perfume has its own language.”
“With perfume, I can say things without using words.”
“Jagalchi Market is famous for the slogan, “Come, See, and Buy”. […] A selected fish can be sliced on the spot for you to eat raw. Watching a flopping fish cleaned into sliced raw fish is in itself an amazing scene. “
“Nobody refuses to fall in love with the flavor of grilled seashells mixed with cheese.”
“It is widely believed that nuts are good for our skin because of the tocopherol and plentiful vitamins they contain.” [Ssiat Hotteok]
“Walk […] down the 108 steps to discover an offshore Buddhist sanctuary opposite the sea that will grant you a magical experience as if you are entering an actual under water kingdom.” [Haedong Yonggungsa temple]
“A 377m smoking active volcano and a 1km round gourd-shaped pond of a volcanic crater. Sulfur spring at 130oC is gushing out of the bottom and the surface temp elevates up around 50oC. […] With the views of steaming and bubbling water, it’s named after hell where we imagine demons live [Jigokudani].”
“An easy trail for any hiker, this route takes you on a short climb from the top of Furano ropeway station to ‘Katenbouki no Mine’ ridge which boasts a breathtaking panorama of Furano Valley.”
“Within the Hoheikan’s original wall structure can be seen an ingenious technique used to keep out the Hokkaido cold. The wall’s exterior is double layer of siding and wood sheathing. The interior is finished with a plaster coating. In between is a heavily coated earthen wall. This earthen wall was professionally built and carefully finished with dust plaster to eliminate gaps between the posts and walls.”
“[…] 2. Total Blood Volume, Artificial Crystal, 2019;
3. Full Set of Bones, Carrara White Marble, 2019;
4. Hospital Gown, Fabric, 2019;
5. Data about Lung, Gallbladder, Common Bile Duct, Artery, Pulmonary Artery, Pulmonary Nodule, Electric Motor, Fabric, 2019;
6. Skull and heart, brain, Liver, White Mexican Onyx, White Onyx, 2019;
[…] 10. Total Fat, Giallo Siena Marble, 2019;
[…] 12. Total Water Volume, Artificial crystal, 2019;
13. Organs and Bones, Travertine (Classic), White Michelanglo Marble, 2019″
“Don’t let its pretty orange colour fool you, it has serious firepower! The fact that the sambal is named after the devil himself should give you an idea of what you’re in for.”
“Redha Sorana is acutely aware of art’s position as a visual problem, and so focuses on compositions involving lightness and illumination, showing off the brightness of achromatic stimuli.”
“The Beat: Who do you want to be, other than yourself, next time you are reincarnated?
Zeke Khaseli: A poker pro. Someone like Phil Ivey or Tom Dwan.”
“[Paintings] prices published in this catalogue are based on the suggested prices in the Japanese domestic market.”
“Highlight of this year […] includes creative Pingtan, experimental Kun Opera, interactive Peking Opera and other performances that represent the spirit of China traditional culture.”
“Mao Zedong’s former residence in Shanghai in 1924 is an antiquated house that resembles the style of Shikumen architecture of the 1910s.”
“The Intangible Culture Heritage Digital Hall is designed to cater for a younger population who relies on their digital devices for access to knowledge.”
“Due to weather, time, or seasons, the views and incidence of the sea of clouds may be different to that pictured.”
“Shiroi Koibito Park Guide is a fantastic space based on the ideals of deliciousness, fun and stories of sweets from bygone era.”
“Visitors can observe the production processes behind Shiroi Koibito cookies from the tour corridor on the third floor, including the stages of sandwiching chocolate between over-fresh langue de chat cookies, cooling them, printing best-before dates and packaging them individually.”
“There are various methods and approaches by which we can come to a full understanding of an ancient object. First, we study, analyze and recreate the actual object, to reconstruct the process by which it was originally made, and gradually accumulate verifiable historical data, in order to establish an analytical system for the study of these ancient artifacts. We can then incorporate other research to piece together the material and cultural history, and gradually come to understand something of the lives and ways of thinking of the ancient peoples behind the objects. In this way, these valuable historical objects give us a window onto the past.”
“Tangmo’s water gap garden [manifests] the philosophy of ‘unity of heaven and people’ and ‘harmonious coexistence of human and nature’”
“Bodies exceed humanity; they remind us that we are part of something vaster, more complex, more connected than our mere existence as an atomized species.”
“The poetic and picturesque garden landscapes […] which seem to be changing at every step and awakening reminiscences of the rural scenes in the area south of the Lower Yangtze, are archaic, rustic, extensive and naturalistic.”
“It features a range of man-made mountains covered with towering old trees and bamboos, and adorned with simple, plain buildings and latticed windows of great excellence inside the garden, and the broad of crystalline water outside.”
“The name of IMMI comes from the concept of symmetrical aesthetics.”
“The designer uses the bold romantic prints and stitching to accompany and open up the incredible chapters of each girl’s incredible life.”
“The Study. Here was not only where Dr. Sun lived and engaged in revolutionary activities, it also served as a historical witness of the development of Sun Yat-sen’s thinking.”
“Get an exclusive experience and sleep in an artistic design space.”
“To break and be broken is the inevitability for all things. The act can signal an end, a change, or even hope. BRKN weaves together objects and sounds to explore the many and varied connotations of ‘broken’ in relation to the world around us. It examines the disconnect between the trauma of breaking in a physical sense, versus its expansive metaphorical possibilities.”
“Covered in green from head to foot, they look like slimy jelly. They are shy, timid, easily frightened and feed mainly on human waste, thus preferring to live around human settlements.”
“Textiles are for the ‘skin’, clothes are for the human bodies.”
“‘Sleeping with sharks’ – underwater night camping.”
“Feeding times listed above may change without prior notice depending on the daily condition of our aquatic animals.”
“The most precious relics are […], a cast of plaster mould of Lu Xun’s face, on which are struck 20 beards and 2 eye brows of Lu Xun.”
“Pony Club focuses on developing comprehensive qualities of students: IQ, EQ, HQ, more importantly, AQ ans LQ.”
“In the garden, there are tens of thousands of bamboo, and there are many strange stones under the bamboo, assembling those of lions.”
“In 2004 the Ningxia provincial government decided to build a new museum as a gift to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Ningxia provincial government.”
“There used to be lyrics that sang: golden silk beach, silver silk water; who does not say Ningxia’s Shahu is not beautiful; the scenery beyond the Great Wall, the scenery mimicking the south of Yangtze River, you will be thrilled at the rarity of the beauty.”
“The calendar poster painters keenly grasped the fashion trends and expressed them in their paintings, In their works, beautiful ladies wore the most popular clothing and makeup at the time, which in turn let the fashion trends and became a fashion indicator.”
“The map drew by the Chinese in twenty-two Ming Hongwu (1389 AD) is the earliest and largest colored world map existing in the world, which is also the first map depicting Africa.”
“Painting is no longer the direct presentation of what artist has seen, but the existing space with its own being. Inside the space, the traces of consuming, living, and memorizing are dormant on the surface, and indirectly appear subtle texture and claim strength.”
“Just like an ant walking on the edge of the visible.”
“No matter how tall a tree may grow, its nourishment comes from roots on the ground, and regardless of how long a river may flow, it can be traced back to a source.”