Xiangmei Su | Intricately Woven

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Xiangmei Su, “Intricately Woven,” no date

(courtesy of the gallery)

Opening Reception: Wednesday October 11th 7 - 9pm

Artist Xiangmei Su (苏向) lives in an era where the natural climate is changing drastically, the economic direction is accelerating, and human productivity is making great strides. New energy, new materials, 5G communications, artificial intelligence, etc. are taking mankind into wider unknown areas. As the other wing of human society, art will inevitably develop and evolve with the pace of science, technology and economy.

From witnessing her grandmother using wooden looms to make traditional textiles, to observing the mechanical assembly line in her father's factory, to creating her own contemporary art and becoming a full-time artist, Su uses her talent, wisdom, and personal immigration experience to create unique works of art. She passed through Suzhou, a famous cultural town in China, roaring contemporary industrial cities, and arrived in Canada, where the cultures are intertwined. Painting, installation, and fibre material art have transformed into new extensions and connotations in her hands.

The lines in the Intricately Woven series of paintings are clear in latitude and longitude, sparse and orderly, exquisite, three-dimensional, and unpredictable. They bring our sight into the profound spatial dimension and inspire us to explore the essence through phenomena. The maze-like "factories," "workshops," "parts" and "units," and other contemporary industrial images she depicts with single-toned lines make us stand in awe of the great wisdom and productivity of mankind, and at the same time make us realize human insignificance. We have conquered matter and improved efficiency, so where will technology take us?

In her installation works, she uses canvas as a two-dimensional medium and uses pins and threads to carefully weave three-dimensional works on the surface of the canvas. This series of works are neither textiles nor paintings, but installations that utilize fibre materials, light, colour and space. Through the artist's special perspective, social productivity transforms material into brand new things in a specific environment.

Su’s latest installation "Interweaving (交织)" will also be exhibited this time. She used ancient techniques, traditional tools, and her usual symbol of material culture - thread, and used her mother's dowry suitcase as a "prism" to "refract" onto the wall the maps of Suzhou and Vancouver, the two cities where she had lived. The complex trajectory of fate and journey are visualized to tell the story of the destiny and journey of life.

The Chinese sage Wang Yangming's "investigating things to gain knowledge (格物致知)" is about obtaining true knowledge through exhaustive investigation of things. Su’s artistic practice, artistic works, and artistic style well reflect this cognitive proposition. She gained new knowledge from the "investigation" of traditional crafts, regional culture, and creative media, and maintained and managed her relationship with history, tradition, humanity, and nature, and then used new artistic techniques and forms to interpret new world and era.

Culture Days Hands-on Workshop: Saturday October 14th 2 - 4pm

On Saturday, October 14th, from 2:00pm to 4:00 pm, Su will lead the audience in a hands-on workshop during the Culture Days (https://culturedays.ca/), using canvas, pins, thread, and other materials to create installation works. The workshop is free and open to people of 12 years old and above. Please register at https://suworkshop.eventbrite.ca.

Artist Talk: Wednesday October 18th 7 - 9pm

On the evening of Wednesday, October 18th, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, Su will introduce her creative process and works to the audience in detail. The talk is free and open to public. Please register at https://sutalk.eventbrite.ca.