Zhenrong Xu

meditative painting the Chinese ink painting interior textiles hand prints screen print Mono print natural fabrics

Zhenrong Xu(b. 2000) is an art interior designer and illustrator. With a passion for patterns and traditional hand prints, she creates decorative pieces that are all handcrafted.

Rong studied Fashion Design at DHU University in Shanghai before pursuing a Master's in Textiles at the RCA. During her studies at RCA, Rong has been focusing on exploring hand printing, and her works are also oriented towards textile artworks and commercial printing design. She enjoys the process of making and thinks in slow work.

Concerning handcraft, Rong honours the ancient healing purpose of meditation around feeling the body's engagement and conveys this concept of "releasing stress and embracing harmony" to the public.

I have been creating around my perception; I have formed my memory habits due to the experience of visual ghosting, so I used to meditate to record memories and my thoughts. And the concept of meditative memory is applied in colour choice, painting form, and textile practice.

Everyone's memory habits are different, including the choice of colour. Gauguin said that colour is the result of thinking, not observation. Painting is the innovation of experience in memory. In my creations, I have also been experimenting with new colours and colour combinations, which come from my memory of a particular scene or natural colour when I meditate.

About making

I see it as a process of growth,

This is to place the maker from the outset as a participant amongst a world of active materials to experience tactility.

I draw my energy from making; this has helped me understand myself, and I believe that the power of making can help others.