Everyday Shadow
Weaving as a journey through abstract thought
by Chang Kuo-chuan
Some people weave to make dreamcatchers,
some weave to repair broken nets,
some weave to chase after intangible things.
A dreamcatcher is made to fulfill one’s wishes,
repairing a broken net symbolizes mending relationships,
chasing intangible things is to capture fleeting moments.
Weaving as a multicultural expression
As an ancient life skill and time-honored craft, weaving spanning countless cultures and histories. From the legendary Chinese empress Leizu who invented sericulture, keeping records by tying knots, the folklore of The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl to “Song of the Wanderer” by Meng Jiao and many other Chinese idioms, weaving symbolizes a vast world of expression. Even in modern days, programming languages employ “weaving” in their structure, showing its enduring relevance across cultures and fields.
In contemporary art, weaving as a medium has evolved significantly from functional craft to a form of visual and narrative expression. Among international well-known artists, there are some textile-related creators like Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929), with her infinity nets; Sheila Hicks (b. 1934), with her wool weavings; Chiharu Shiota (b. 1972), with her yarn installations; Akira Minagawa (b. 1967), with his patterned fabric designs; Tomás Saraceno (b. 1973), with his spiderweb-inspired installations; indigenous-style installations by Taiwanese artists like Yuma Taru (b. 1963), Eleng Luluan (b. 1968), and Aluaiy Kaumakan (b. 1971); humanistic embroideries by Deng Wen-jen (b. 1970); bamboo landscape architectures by Wang Wen-chi (b. 1959); paper cut-out weavings by Jam Wu (b. 1979); and mixed media by Kang Ya-chu (b. 1980) all contributing to this vibrant weaving art.
These woven artworks are all-embracing. Some resemble Taiga dramas, light novels, symphonies, or folk collections. Others like scientific experiments, games, feasts, or sweets. They greatly enriching our visual experience and aesthetic appreciation.
Weaving as a metaphorical material
Amid these diverse creative works, artist Cheng An-li—who majored in fiber art at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan and teaches at her alma mater in Tainan—presents a poetic and elusive presence in her artworks. Her creations incorporate weaving, knitting, collage, sewing, embroidery, installations, dyeing, printing and found objects. What’s special about her artworks is the quality of techniques is delicately hidden, the nature of materials is quietly disintegrated, exuding a calm, refreshing beauty akin to "a breeze gently stirring ripples, the sun gradually rising in the sky, a person blearily waking up from last night’s dream."
She uses weaving as metaphorical materials, geometry as daily expression, and touch as an embodiment of deep emotion. Her implicit yet resolute expression resonates with Anni Albers (1899–1994) who was a German textile artist of the 20th century, both exploring weaving as a medium of sensory perception.
Lose Order I, Plastic filament, found object, cotton & organza, 45 × 45 cm, 2024
Weaving as a perceptual nervous system
"Weaving" is composed of orderly and infinite grids, which produces infinite changes in the existing forms and structures, so it’s undoubtedly the closest approach to the thinking engineering of matter sequence. Albers believes that weaving is one of the few tactile mediums to create, through the body, mind and inner emotion, to achieve the collaboration of body and mind, which is not only a dynamic expression of abstract thinking, but also a wonderful aesthetic experience.
Cheng An-li is fascinated by Albers's way of connecting the woven "nervous system" to sensory perception, she interlacing life’s fragments through fabrics recording, splicing, dismantling, reorganizing, translating, multiplying, conversing and regenerating, thus forming her unique and subtle lyrical style.
In her solo exhibition "Everyday Shadow" at East Gallery, she displays artworks spanning six years from 2019’s Metaphor series, 2020’s Crisscross series, Space series, 2023’s Context series, Handwriting series to the 2021-2024 Something Old / Something New and Graftage series. This exhibit offers a cohesive and refined presentation since her 2015 Next Art Tainan.
Lose Order II, Plastic filament, found object, varnish transfer & organza, 24 × 40 cm, 2024
Weaving as the Journey of Abstract Thought
In Something Old / Something New series, she transferred the map of Moscow streets and the user manual of Humanities and Social Sciences Library which she kept from studying abroad onto silk fabric by varnish, making it a decoration not for the purpose of reading but is imbued with civilization and landscape. By sewing and patching ribbons or cotton fabrics of different textures, she delicately constructs the relationship between visual layers and materials, as if whispering secrets of her past. The casually hanging gauze occasionally sways in the breeze, mirroring the fleeting emotions as time passes by.
In the Graftage series, she splices, reassembles, or overlaps her old clothes, old objects, and zero-yard fabrics collected by chance, forming a pure and harmonious geometric interface, simple and quiet, presenting an accordant yet organic grafting.
The most astonishing thing is her latest series Lose Order completed in 2024, she gradually releases herself from the bondage of her emotions after experiencing setbacks of a relationship. Now that she has regained her composure, she lets her thoughts wander through the fluffy fibers, presenting a sense of penetration and airiness that makes people feel relieved along with her.
Graftage V, Hand-woven fabric, webbing & organza, 39 × 63 cm , 2023
Weaving as Courage
In Japanese film director Naoko Ogigami’s poignant film Close-Knit, the protagonist Rinko says, while crocheting, “Whenever I feel discontented or sad, weaving helps me let it all go.”
No matter how hard you try, some things are unchangeable—betrayed by someone you loved, children leave home for studying abroad, living alone in nursing home. Sooner or later, people around you will leave…
But weaving helps us to lay the ghost of distress, think clearly and find courage!