Summer is upon us and all the ducks that flew south for the winter are back on top! Jia Xi Li is a London-based textile artist with the Sarabande; a foundation that the late Alexander McQueen set up to propel creative and visionary talents. Following Dream with Sarabande at Decimo in London, and a post-Met Gala blowout in Boom, Jia Xi installed her knitted sculpture, titled, My Pet Ducks 2023, perched atop The Rooftop at The Standard, London.
On the breezy terrace pre-opening of the hottest rooftop in London in April, we chatted through Jia Xi's process and inspiration.
On the breezy terrace pre-opening of the hottest rooftop in London in April, we chatted through Jia Xi's process and inspiration.
The inspiration behind the project – what did you think when you saw the space? How did it inspire you?
The Standard is a vivid and joyful place located in the heart of London. As a textile artist, my attention was immediately drawn to the different tactile qualities of the fibre textures used in the hotel's interior. When I first saw the rooftop, I was surprised and inspired by the unparalleled view of the London skyline. I want to continue the tactile quality of downstairs to the rooftop, so I decided to create a playful textile-based 3-dimensional sculpture on the top contrasting with the backdrop of the summer blue sky.
Why ducks as a motif? You’ve used them before in your work…
My work looks to materialise memory and time in a biographical format. Through this journey of materialisation, I discover the importance of objects. As a mortal existence, I inhabit and interact with space and time physically and spiritually. Brimming over with objects that allude to the deepest self, the domestic environment or the home environment encloses the traces of humanity, history, and relationships. While everything is a mirror reflecting the trace of others, an object is not an individual entity but a compound structure that stores a huge amount of information about the user. I sanctify and place reverence on the everyday and the neglected. The rubber duck is the visualisation of an important period of childhood memory. When I look at the duckies, it triggers the vivid summertime memory stored in my head.
Can you describe your artistic process?
The Standard is a vivid and joyful place located in the heart of London. As a textile artist, my attention was immediately drawn to the different tactile qualities of the fibre textures used in the hotel's interior. When I first saw the rooftop, I was surprised and inspired by the unparalleled view of the London skyline. I want to continue the tactile quality of downstairs to the rooftop, so I decided to create a playful textile-based 3-dimensional sculpture on the top contrasting with the backdrop of the summer blue sky.
Why ducks as a motif? You’ve used them before in your work…
My work looks to materialise memory and time in a biographical format. Through this journey of materialisation, I discover the importance of objects. As a mortal existence, I inhabit and interact with space and time physically and spiritually. Brimming over with objects that allude to the deepest self, the domestic environment or the home environment encloses the traces of humanity, history, and relationships. While everything is a mirror reflecting the trace of others, an object is not an individual entity but a compound structure that stores a huge amount of information about the user. I sanctify and place reverence on the everyday and the neglected. The rubber duck is the visualisation of an important period of childhood memory. When I look at the duckies, it triggers the vivid summertime memory stored in my head.
Can you describe your artistic process?
I make sculptures, wall pieces, and installations with knitted fibre. Knitting is the main process of making in my art practice. From my perspective, knitting is a process of recording and waiting. From linear to the surface and 3-dimensional shapes, It's a never-ending process of making with simple but rhythmic gestures. I combine yarns with liquid-dissolving threads to change the nature of the textile from soft to solid. Solidification enables the knit structure to stand up.
Jia Xi Li is a Chinese Canadian textile artist based in London. Her work looks to materialise memory and time in a biographical format. As a mortal existence, human beings inhabit and interact with spaces and time physically and spiritually. Brimming over with objects that allude to the deepest self, the environment encloses the traces of humanity, history, and relationships. An object is not an individual entity but a compound structure of traces of time and reflections of life. She sanctifies and places reverence in the everyday. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art, Jia Xi has exhibited in London, Berlin, Guimaraes, Edinburgh, and New York.
My Pet Ducks, 2023
Size: multiple sizes, #1: 98 x 78 x 115 cm, #2: 35 x 30 x 38 cm, #3: 35 x 30 x 38
Material: Knitted textile, PLA filaments, fibreglass, resin, light components
