Baozhu
Collection:UAL Art Collection
Date: 2023
Artist: Yumo Yuan (Chinese)
Dimensions:
118 x 46cm
Medium: Woven textile, silk
Object number: UAC 1110
DescriptionYumo studied BA Textile Design at Central Saint Martins. He says:
'‘Baozhu’, the name of my nanny, means precious pearls.
The project was inspired by my childhood experience of growing up with a nanny, and antique home-made textiles that I have collected from flea markets.
I was born in northeast China, and I was raised by my nanny Baozhu. In my memory, she has unlimited enthusiasm for collecting and making textiles. And she always brings me to the fabric shops to buy old fabric scraps to decorate her home. Her love for textiles has deeply influenced me. Like her, I have collected handmade antique textile pieces from flea markets in China. Most were made in the early 20th century and done by women at home. In the collecting these items, I have been fascinated by the traditional decorative elements on the textile, such as goldfish, deer, pomegranate, etc. People usually use them to express their expectations of being healthy and wealthy. When I looked back at the photos I took at my nanny's house, I was very interested in the combination of the stool covered with printed goldfish pattern velvet and the floor mat featuring 1980s geometric patterns.
In this project, I combined different styles of patterns in one piece. I also experimented with the yarn painting technique, which gives the image a blurry and abstract effect. My work is an exploration of my personal identity, memory and cultural heritage combined with weaving practice'.
'‘Baozhu’, the name of my nanny, means precious pearls.
The project was inspired by my childhood experience of growing up with a nanny, and antique home-made textiles that I have collected from flea markets.
I was born in northeast China, and I was raised by my nanny Baozhu. In my memory, she has unlimited enthusiasm for collecting and making textiles. And she always brings me to the fabric shops to buy old fabric scraps to decorate her home. Her love for textiles has deeply influenced me. Like her, I have collected handmade antique textile pieces from flea markets in China. Most were made in the early 20th century and done by women at home. In the collecting these items, I have been fascinated by the traditional decorative elements on the textile, such as goldfish, deer, pomegranate, etc. People usually use them to express their expectations of being healthy and wealthy. When I looked back at the photos I took at my nanny's house, I was very interested in the combination of the stool covered with printed goldfish pattern velvet and the floor mat featuring 1980s geometric patterns.
In this project, I combined different styles of patterns in one piece. I also experimented with the yarn painting technique, which gives the image a blurry and abstract effect. My work is an exploration of my personal identity, memory and cultural heritage combined with weaving practice'.