ZIZI

knitted sculpture in wool, mohair, silk, cotton, linen, polyamide, iron metal

After a period of living and studying in China, the United States, Europe and the UK, the multidisciplinary education and cultural background allows ZIZI to put forward the self-salvation and exploration of the split of self-identity and the state of cultural coexistence and disappearance from the perspective of both an 'outsider' and 'insider' under the context of globalisation.

Drawing from Eastern and Western history's cultures and thought systems, her practice shuttles between different textile fibres and raw materials, combining traditional and modern crafts. She aestheticises scenes of everyday life together to reveal her primitive desire to make, engage and correspond with the flow of matters in transformation and exchange and let it develop naturally into her artistic language.

引yǐn (2023)
Iron metal, wool, mohair, silk, cotton, linen, polyamide
Belongs to the Soil in the Five Elements.

Under the collision of diverse cultures, how does my identity exist in the transitional environment?

Lao Zi's dialectics "The Movement of Tao" – there's an infinite oneness in the opposite forces of which they continually become and move towards each other in the circular movement, as the initial response to the changing environment in my primitive memory.

I use my spirit and body as a participant and tool in my daily artistic ritual. It enables me to correspond with the different materials, protein fibre (wool, mohair and silk), plant fibres (cotton and linen) and artificial fibres (polyamide), as my view of the trinity from the planet, engaged in the form of active and passive interweaving between the processes.

By counting the changing numbers while working with the silver needle bed, motion-repeated regularly, shuttling through each other and floating in the surrounding air. It has brought me lost in the chaotic and twisted space and immersed in the action. The "static electricity" generated in the mutual friction can be explained by the structural characteristics of an antagonistic "force"–"stretchability". The sense of identity, belonging, insecurity pushed my inherent and consciousness to rebel against each other and to permeate.

From here, the intrinsic and extrinsic towards the flow of matter that exist in consciousness and perception inspired my conjecture. Under the ancient Chinese quality, the state of "overcoming firmness by gentleness", I may capture and perceive the shared values of foreign cultures in this subtle way.

引yǐn

Soft circulation 001

In Collaboration with:

Yingying Zhang

Photographer/Art director for the shoot

Medium:

Knitted sculpture in wool, mohair, silk, cotton, linen, polyamide, iron metal

In Collaboration with:

Yingying Zhang

Photographer/Art director for the shoot

Medium:

Knitted sculpture in wool, mohair, silk, cotton, linen, polyamide, iron metal

Tweety Twenty – This chair, as an expression of my character, draws from my childhood memories of watching the "tweety bird". At first, I recognized it as an aggressive and noisy character, but as I got to know it more, a childlike, sweet bird appeared in front of me, as if I was my own willing towards a kid's perspective to see the world. It allows me to start exploring the possibilities and boundaries of coexistence and seek to awaken the innocence/trueness of people who have gone through the vicissitudes of life.

Medium:

Chair in knitted wool, mohair, polyester covered spandex yarn, recycled wasted yarns

Color library – Vegetables were important in cultural communication and commercial exchange between ancient China and foreigners. Many exotic vegetables were named after foreigners, and most have been used ever since. This discovery made me aware of the beauty and historical meaning passed on to things in our daily life.

Mix media in textile with vegetable papers – (From left to right, top to bottom) Hand embroidery; knitting; screen print with bee wax, screen printing; machine embroidery; crochet; machine embroidery; hand embroidery.