Meet Homo Faber 2024 Artisan Fanglu Lin
by Alexandra Ivancenco Mas
Fanglu Lin’s remarkable textile creations bring together the ancient and the modern, weaving tradition with contemporary design. Her sculptural, tactile artworks are deeply connected to nature, rooted in the rich craft heritage of China’s Bai minority women and their centuries-old tie-dye techniques.
Born in Dalian, Fanglu’s life changed forever during her studies at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. In 2014, her thesis research led her to Zhou Cheng village in Dali, Yunnan province, where she encountered the intricate tie-dye practices passed down through generations of Bai women. Captivated by the labor-intensive process of stitching, knotting, and pleating the fabric before dyeing, she decided to stay in the village for a year, immersing herself in the thousand-year-old techniques. The experience revealed to her the profound beauty and dedication behind these traditions, where each piece of fabric is a testament to women’s craftsmanship and patience.
When I first saw this technique, with its rich texture and primal power, I knew this was what I had been searching for, Fanglu shared with the UK Crafts Council. Through sewing, thread-drawing, and knotting, plain fabric transforms into something extraordinary.
Inspired by this revelation, Fanglu began experimenting, fusing these age-old techniques with her own creative vision to craft original, three-dimensional textile art. Working with natural cotton and linen, she hand-knots, stitches, and pleats the fabric into sculptural pieces that evoke the essence of nature—seabeds, mountains, coral reefs, and forest floors. Her work honors the Bai women’s use of natural fabrics and pigments, ensuring a deep connection to the earth.
Fanglu’s work is a celebration of the women who have preserved these craft traditions for centuries. Her monumental piece, She – a 6m x 3m wall installation that embodies the complexity and skill of Bai craftsmanship – earned her the prestigious Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in 2012, making her the first textile artist to win the award.
At Homo Faber 2024, we saw two pieces from her She series in the Nature hall, part of this year’s overarching theme: The Journey of Life. The Nature hall had a very strong feminine element and her textile sculptures brought a strong and ancient vibration. Her work reflects on the beauty of the natural world but and stands as a tribute to the generations of Bai women who have kept these ancient techniques alive, proving that tradition and innovation can thrive together.
Discover more about Fanglu Lin’s journey and her work at homofaber.com.
