Siyu Liu
Basketweaver
Barcelona, Spain
Weaving a dialogue between material and ideas
- Siyu transforms traditional weaving techniques into sculptural artworks
- She bridges architecture, craft and contemporary art through her research on materials
- Her work explores identity, cultural exchange and memory
Siyu Liu is a Chinese architect and artist based in Barcelona whose practice brings together architecture, contemporary craft and cultural research. She first discovered basketweaving while researching Mediterranean craft traditions during her master's studies, drawn to its structural logic and its unexpected similarities to additive manufacturing. Since making Barcelona her creative home, Siyu has established herself as an active voice in Catalonia's contemporary craft scene through exhibitions, research and collaborative projects that connect different cultural traditions. Her work has received international recognition, including selection for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and Visions of Catalonia. Working with traditional basketweaving techniques and sustainable materials, she creates sculptural pieces that explore memory, identity and cultural exchange, revealing how craft can preserve the past while opening new possibilities for contemporary artistic expression.
Discover her work
INTERVIEW
I discovered basketweaving while researching Mediterranean craft traditions for my master's thesis. What fascinated me most was its construction logic, which reminded me of 3D printing building form by layering a continuous strip. I immediately saw its creative potential.
My process moves between concept, material, technique, form and making. I usually begin by weaving a sample and observing how the material behaves. Sometimes the material suggests the concept; other times, a new form leads the entire creative process.
Every material has its own limits, and unlike industrial materials, they can only be understood through trial and error. Failure is part of the process, helping me discover how each material bends, carries tension and ultimately finds the form that suits it best.
I do not limit myself to traditional fibres. Instead, I choose sustainable materials that best suit each idea, comparing their possibilities through the logic of additive construction. I am interested in how different materials and techniques can expand the language of basketweaving today.
Siyu Liu
Basketweaver
Barcelona, Spain
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
Chinese, English, Spanish
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