Didi NG Wing Yin (HK/FI) is an artist and designer based in Helsinki from Hong Kong. He centres on woodworking in unique sculptural furniture and crafts. Didi’s work is characterized by his distinctive texture carving techniques. The creative process emphasizes the authentic expression of the materiality in wood. Didi holds a Master of Arts degree from Aalto University in Finland and produces his works independently as an artist.
Didi’s creative approach emphasizes the balance between the essence of wood, the intuitive nature of craftsmanship, and conceptual exploration. The foundation of his work is rooted in experimenting with innovative surface treatments and wood carving techniques. Instead of exerting strict control over the material to achieve a predetermined form and shape, he prefers to engage with the inherent qualities of wood, allowing its natural properties to guide the creative process and honouring the material's intrinsic characteristics. His goal is to explore the genuine expression of wood, which he encapsulates in one word: Naturalness.
In July 2024, Didi NG held his first solo exhibition titled “Making Natural Sense” at the GAo ShAn Gallery in Helsinki. He has participated in group shows with Spazio Nobile Gallery in international art and design fairs, including PAD London, PAD Paris, and Collectible Fair. Didi was featured in ‘The Class of 24’ by Wallpaper* Magazine(UK) to exhibit at the Triennale during Milan Design Week, and ‘Dwell 24’ by Dwell Magazine(US). He represented Finland as the Winner of the “Rising Star of the Year” at the Scandinavian Design Awards 2024 and was shortlisted for Emerging Designer of the Year organised by Dezeen Awards(UK).
Artist-Designer
Works available at
→ Spazio Nobile Gallery (BE)
→ GAo ShAn Gallery (FI)
→ Alcova Project Space (IT)
Didi’s creative approach emphasizes the balance between the essence of wood, the intuitive nature of craftsmanship, and conceptual exploration. The foundation of his work is rooted in experimenting with innovative surface treatments and wood carving techniques. Instead of exerting strict control over the material to achieve a predetermined form and shape, he prefers to engage with the inherent qualities of wood, allowing its natural properties to guide the creative process and honouring the material's intrinsic characteristics. His goal is to explore the genuine expression of wood, which he encapsulates in one word: Naturalness.
In July 2024, Didi NG held his first solo exhibition titled “Making Natural Sense” at the GAo ShAn Gallery in Helsinki. He has participated in group shows with Spazio Nobile Gallery in international art and design fairs, including PAD London, PAD Paris, and Collectible Fair. Didi was featured in ‘The Class of 24’ by Wallpaper* Magazine(UK) to exhibit at the Triennale during Milan Design Week, and ‘Dwell 24’ by Dwell Magazine(US). He represented Finland as the Winner of the “Rising Star of the Year” at the Scandinavian Design Awards 2024 and was shortlisted for Emerging Designer of the Year organised by Dezeen Awards(UK).
Didi NG Wing Yin 吳頴賢
Artist-Designer
Email → didi@dd-ng.com
IG → dd_ng
Works available at
→ Spazio Nobile Gallery (BE)
→ GAo ShAn Gallery (FI)
→ Alcova Project Space (IT)
Upcoming Exhibition
2025
Feb// Solo Exhibition
Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Nov// Solo exhibition
Spazio Nobile Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
Selected Exhibition
2024
Oct // Spray the Colour (Group)
PAD London, Spazio Nobile Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Sep // Good Selection(Group)
Paris Design Week, Paris, France
Sep // Layers (Group)
Habitare, Helsinki, Finland
July // Making Natural Sense (Solo)
GAo ShAn Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Apr // Wallpaper* Class of '24 (Group)
Triennale Milano, Milan Design Week, Milan, Italy
Apr // Primavera: A Window to the Soul (Group)
PAD Paris, Spazio Nobile Gallery, Paris, France
Mar // Good Luck! New Experiments (Group)
Spazio Nobile Gallery, Collectible Fair, Brussels, Belgium
Feb // Älvsjö Gård (Solo)
Stockholm Furniture Fair, Stockholm, Sweden
2023
Nov // Art Dual: Finnish Craftsmanship and Vintage Charms (Group)
GAo ShAn Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Sep // Talentshop (Solo)
Helsinki Design Week, Habitare Fair, Helsinki, Finland
Jul // Xylos, Pocket Show (Group)
Prime Matter Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
Jun // Ukurant (Group)
3 Days of Design, Copenhagen, Denmark
May // New Contemporary (Group)
Stockholm Creative Edition, Stockholm, Sweden
May // International Schools Show 2023 (Group)
WantedDesign Online, Virtual
Apr // Alcova Project Space (Group)
Alcova, Milan Design Week, Milan, Italy
Mar // Curated Section (Group)
Collectible Fair, Brussels, Belgium
Mar // PAUSE (Group)
Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Feb // Tatu Laakso / Didi NG
Greenhouse, Stockholm Furniture Fair, Stockholm, Sweden
2022
Oct // Design without borders (Group)
Kiscell Museum, Budapest, Hungary
Sep // Sense of Spirituality (Group)
Helsinki Design Week, Helsinki, Finland
Sep // Protoshop (Group)
Habitare Fair, Helsinki, Finland
Sep // Habitare Design Competition
Habitare Fair, Helsinki, Finland
Jun // Ein&Zwangzig (Group)
Milan Design Week, Milan, Italy
2020
Jan // Puretalents Contest (Group)
IMM Cologne, Cologne, Germany
Awards, Grants & Residencies
2024
Shorlisted, Emerging designer of the year, Dezeen, United Kingdom
Working Grant Awardee, Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Finland
Winner, Rising Star of the Year, Scandanavian Awards 2024, Sweden
2022
Winner, Category Student Floor Lamp, L A M P 2022
Project Grants Awardee, Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Finland
2021
Winner, Ein & Zwangzig 2021, German Design Coucil, Germany
2020
Nominated Finalist, PureTalentsContest 2020, IMM Cologne, Germany
Nominated Finalist, Habitare Design Competition 2020, Messukeskus Helsinki, Finland
2019
Residency, Wood and Design, EKA SUMMER ACADEMY WORKSHOP, Estonian Academic of Art, Estonia
2017
Nominated Finalist, Furniture Design Award 2017, The Singapore Furniture Industries Council, Singapore
2013
Nominated Finalist, The 7th Hong Kong Lighting Design Competition, HKTDC, Hong Kong
2012
Nominated Finalist, The 6th Hong Kong Lighting Design Competition, HKTDC, Hong Kong
Selected Press
2024
Adrian Madlener: “The Dwell 24”, Dwell Magazine, Sep /Oct 2024, P.33, US
Anna Varakas: “LUONNON JA IHMISEN VÄLISSÄ”, Asun, 3/2024, P.34-35, FI
Olly Mason: “Class Acts”, Wallpaper*, July 2024, P.166, UK
Silvana Annicchiarico: “ Didi NG Wing Yin, a poet of wood poised between craft, art and design”, Domus, N.1809, P.9, IT
Jessica Finotto: “Fragments of a lover’s discourse with wood”, L’Essenziale Studio, Vol.07, P.86-95, IT
Arja Kuittinen: “Yötön yö ja vaaleanpunainen auringonlasku lumosivat hongkongilaismuotoilijan: ‘Suomessa olen voinut kokea asioita enemmän aisteillani’”, Avotakka, Apr 2024, Fi
Arja Kuittinen: “Yllätyitkö, Didi Ng Wing Yin?”, Avotakka, 04/2024, P.27, Fi
Clara Baldock: “Pine, refined”, HTSI, Finacial Times, Mar 2024, UK
Jay Chow: “芬蘭慢時光,在快樂又致鬱的矛盾國度做設計 ── 吳頴賢Didi”, Imperfect Magazine, Vol.18, Jan 2024, HK
2023
Jane Englefield: “Didi Ng Wing Yin presents ‘down to earth’ timber furniture at Helsinki Design Week”, Dezeen, Sep 2023, UK
Aidan Imanova: “Didi NG Wing Yin uses experimental surface treatments to showcase the vast potential of woodworking”, Identity.ae, May 2023, UAE
Aidan Imanova: “Natural lines”, Identity Magazine, Issue 231, P.28-29, May 2023, UAE
La Redaction: “Collectible 2023 : qui sont les talents à ne pas manquer ?”, The Steidz, Mar 2023, FR
Yen Kien Hang: “Greenhouse: Growing Young Scandinavian Design”, Art and Design 藝術與設計, Issue 497, Feb 2023, P.77, CN
Dorthe Smeby: “INTRO GREEN HOUSE 2023”, Nytt Rom, No.92, Feb 2023, NO
2022
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle : “HELLO HELSINKI”, HOME & DECOR, Dec 2022, P.71, SG
Anna Von Knorring & Katarina Matsson: “Finlands sak är vår”, ELLE Decoration, NR 9 Nov 2022, P.66, SE
Elena Kurki: “Sisustusarkkitehti Wing Yin Ng vieraili kuudella kesämökillä ja veti häpeämättömän johtopäätöksen: "En ikinä kuvitellut, että se voisi olla tällaista”, Helsingin Sanomat, 4th Sep 2022, FI
Ludovica Proietti: “L’anima del legno nel design di Didi NG Wing Yin”, Cielo Terra Design, 10th Mar 2022, IT
2020
Mitty: “北緯64度芬蘭建築遊記”, Metro Pop, Issue 675, 19th Nov 2020, P.48, HK
Milena Raappana: “Uuden Muotoilun Helmet”, Glorian Koti, Nov 2020, P.25, FI
Reiko Shimizu: “海の波の力強い動きを形状に落とし込んだモジュール式パーテーション「CURTAIN」”, AXIS web magazine, 22nd Jul 2020, JP
Silja Cammarata: “Ein feiner Spürsinn”, RAUM UND WOHNEN, 13th Feb 2020 ,P.78, CH