The columnar textile objects, made by extracting and twisting natural fibers, are among the earliest traces of human civilization. Formed through continuous twisting and the layering of fibers, these artifacts evolved into both functional tools and carriers of meaning.
Khipu — which means “knot” in Quechua — is a codified form of communication that anthropologists have yet to fully decipher. Nonetheless, it stands as evidence of an early form of expressive consciousness. The physical structure of the khipu, composed of bundles of intentionally twisted and knotted fibers, reveals how the manipulation of material evolved into a primordial language. With Khipu / Rope-Making, Zihan Zhao explores this material language through a contemporary sculptural lens.
The work reinterprets the expressive potential of flexible materials, pushing beyond the boundaries of traditional textile art. Drawing on her experience with polymer-based substances, Zihan Zhao brings these materials to a state of softness that allows them to be woven. Through intuitive bodily movement and a subconscious sensitivity to the material, the designer twists and shapes the matter within a limited timeframe—just before it solidifies—thus capturing both process and form as the sculptural imprint of a fleeting expression.
