In the post-post-modern times we live in, anything and everything is considered as art, even a knot. Case in point: Chinese-American artist, Windy Chien.
Relying on simple materials, Chien creates sculptures and installations that range in sizes: from tiny knots that can fit into the palm of your hand to room-sized installations that are sought after by private collectors.
But though her techniques are simple, the result is anything but. “I make sculpture and installations that elevate the vernacular and inspire awe and understanding,” she writes on her website. “In the context of knots, I bring aesthetics to the intersection of function, science, and history to illuminate what’s most fascinating about knots: the journey of the line.”
Chien is best known for her 2016 work, The Year of Knots, in which she learned a new knot every day for a year. “The Year of Knots isn’t about inventing, but rather about learning how knots work—and about revealing their beauty to others,” reads her website. “She wanted to bring out the aesthetic side of this functional practice through focusing on a single knot a day and helping others to really see it, separated from the context in which it might be used.”
Check out some of her creative work in the gallery below.
