"I was touched by their tenacity."
Inspired by the spirit of those Bai women, Lin has used the stitching techniques of tie-dyeing to create the installation artwork, She.
With various, complicated, bold shapes of stitched thick cloth with intricate patterns fixed on wooden frames, it is 6 meters long and 3 meters wide. If viewed from a distance, it resembles a cloud.
She spent three months performing repetitive, scrupulous work, "knotting, stitching, folding and pleating" the white cotton cloth, and the artwork is her tribute to the Bai women and their persistent application of the labor-intensive 1,000-year-old technique.
Lin says that if the viewer gets closer to appreciate the piece, the various folds, detailed knots and complex textures "may tug your heartstrings".
The work provides a metaphor for the Bai women's struggle for change to the status quo, after she made friends with them and sensed their yearning.
"All in all, the big piece, hanging on the wall, also symbolizes their determination to grow and soar," says Lin.
Over the past six years, she has also used tie-dyeing to make stylish furniture, such as sofas and chairs, to bring the traditional technique into modern households.
"I try to add a modern, artistic touch to the age-old traditions of tie-dyeing, hoping that the installation artworks, pieces of the soft sculpture and furniture that I've designed could help the public get a new appreciation of the craftsmanship of the Bai ethnic group," says Lin.
