In yesterday's post, we explored the scientific realm of knots. Today, let's shift our attention to the art world, examining Shi Hui's work currently displayed at the China Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition in Venice (open until 24 November 2024). The pavilion, titled "Atlas: Harmony in Diversity", features contributions from a group of artists such as Che Jianquan, Jiao Xingtao, Qiu Zhenzhong, Wang Shaoqiang, Wang Zhenghong, and Zhu Jinshi.
Shi Hui, born in 1955, is a textile artist and educator. She has held roles as a lecturer and doctoral supervisor at the China Academy of Art (CAA), where she directed the Department of Fiber Arts and led the Contemporary Fiber Art Institute (formerly the Varbanov Fiber Art Research Center), established in 1986. Shi Hui began her journey in contemporary textile art in the 1980s, creating pieces with materials like cotton, hemp, rice paper, silk, Xuan paper, and paper pulp. Her work embodies traditional techniques inspired by the deep-rooted philosophies of her cultural heritage. Additionally, she founded the Hangzhou Fiber Arts Triennial.
In Venice, Shi Hui presents a piece from her "Writing Non-Writing" series (2021 - 2024): knotted forms are mounted on black-painted wooden panels that enhance the contrast with the white knots. These intricately twisted knots evoke Chinese characters, echoing the fluid strokes of calligraphy and translating its rhythmic essence into tactile fiber art. In this way the artist creates a bridge between tradition and contemporary expression, inviting viewers to reflect on communication through the visual language of form and material.
In calligraphy, artistic expression and technical skills are intertwined: a calligrapher conveys emotion and meaning through each deliberate stroke and this art becomes a contemplative practice that emphasizes precision and purpose.
"The Eight Principles of Yong" form a cornerstone of Chinese calligraphy, underscoring the importance of balance, rhythm, and harmony in brushwork. These principles outline essential elements like pressure, angle, and speed, all of which contribute to the aesthetic and technical aspects of the characters. They serve as a foundation for understanding how various styles of script evolved and are executed, ensuring each stroke is imbued with intent and visual impact.
Shi Hui's art channels these calligraphic principles through her intricate knotted work, reinterpreting the essence of brushstrokes with woven cords. Her approach aligns weaving with writing, where actions such as "fall," "rise," "pause," and "turn" in calligraphy are mirrored in the dynamic interplay of fibers. This method translates the rhythm and flow of traditional brushwork into a tactile medium, highlighting shared elements of motion, form, and meaning between the disciplines.
Besides, this installation holds another layer of meaning that traces back to pre-writing cultures where knots were used as records of events and messages. Before formal writing systems were developed, ropes with tied knots conveyed indeed information and were mnemonic tools. This recalls the quipus of the Andes, intricate devices used to keep accounts and document stories through various patterns of knots and colored cords.
In ancient China, the practice of tying knots to record important events - known as jié shéng jì shì (结绳记事) - served a similar purpose. Shi Hui’s work captures this tradition, transforming it into a contemporary artistic language where the knots carry the weight of stories, memories, and historical echoes. The thickness of the ropes, the twists, and their arrangement can therefore be interpreted as carriers of narratives, embodying a dialogue between writing and weaving, hand and mind, memory and movement.
This artform suggests a metaphor: hands that knot may be likened to hands that write, both creating links that bind memories, forming unseen chains in the mind. Ultimately, the knots symbolize a declaration of connection and a celebration of life's continuity and a legacy passed through gestures and threads.
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