Ai Jing's works find pride of place at Dior exhibition

The L'Or de Dior exhibition, currently on display at the Guardian Art Center in Beijing until Sept 29, presents a series of artworks inspired by the theme of "gold". Among the featured artists is renowned Chinese virtuoso Ai Jing, who is showcasing her work, The Strings.

As part of the exhibition's special events, Ai joined Elle magazine's editorial director, Sun Zhe, for a conversation on Saturday, centered around the theme of Women in Bloom.

The discussion kicked off with the topic of daisies, with Ai offering insights into her views on fashion, art, and the sources of her creative inspiration.

Sun discussed the "expressive power of flowers" and how it manifests in literature, film, and photography. He noted that for years, he has used flowers to brighten his living spaces. To him, flowers not only add vibrant energy but also spark deeper reflections on the nature of life.

Ai highlighted her collaboration with Dior earlier this year during the Shanghai International Film Festival, where she held a solo exhibition titled All We Need is Love — Ai Jing 2024.

The June exhibition featured 27 key works from the past decade, many incorporating plants and flowers as central elements. The exhibition blended various media, including painting, installation, sculpture, scent-based art, and video, showcasing Ai's unique approach to artistic expression.

The Strings is a 2017 series by Ai, crafted using old yarn that her mother had saved over the years. Through the intricate interplay of nails and yarn, Ai creates simple yet abstract visual compositions.

Each thread differs in color, texture, and thickness, and Ai said that the process helped her explore the connection between thread and space — a metaphor for the complexity of life. "We weave through various points, crossing and overlapping, just like our hurried lives," she explained.

Reflecting on the L'Or de Dior exhibition, Ai described it as a visual feast, where fashion and art merge in perfect harmony.