Opening of the Suzhou Embroidery exhibition
The opening of the The awakening of embroidery exhibition took place on 10th March 2026, with a public lecture the following day titled Living Soil: Craft, Tradition, and Transformation.
Organised by Guangxi Normal University Press and ACC Art Books, the event aims to break through the traditional perception of embroidery as merely a ‘skill’ or an ‘appendage of images’. It explores how needlework itself can become an independent aesthetic subject and a spiritual expression, presenting the transformation process from ‘skill’ to ‘art’ and then to ‘way’ through three progressively layered chapters, ultimately pointing to the era of needlework’s self-aware expression.
Embroidery is the essence of China’s 1,000-year-old handicrafts, and Suzhou embroidery, renowned for its delicate needlework and elegant artistic conception, is representative of them.
The exhibition is featured in China Daily: “Titled Suzhou Embroidery: The Awakening of a 1,000-Year Tradition, it featured renowned embroidery masters — sisters Yao Huifen and Yao Huiqin — collaborating with contemporary artist Wu Jian’an. Together, they explored both the refined techniques of Suzhou embroidery and their modern reinterpretation.”
And explores the details of the 58 featured works and a breakdown of their themes: “The exhibition featured 58 works from a decade of collaborative work, divided into three themed sections. The first was a “gene bank” of traditional techniques, displayed through detailed samplers. The second presented seven intricate contemporary pieces based on the fan painting Skeleton Puppet Play by Li Song of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The final section showcased two new abstract pieces, each rendered in a single color, using layered silk thread like brushstrokes.”
China Daily featured a video of the exhibition that can be viewed at this link as well as in the article.
Contemporary artist @Wujian_an presented a talk sharing his artistic practice and the collaborative process behind the exhibition, tracing how traditional techniques have evolved and been sustained, becoming the “living soil” that nurtures art today.
Followed by a conversation with Li Xiaoxin – curator of the China Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Stephen Knot – writer, researcher and educator. The moderator was Chuan LU (curator, writer and cofounder of Gyrecraft).
