• Originally from a bamboo-weaving family, Lihuai translates his heritage into contemporary making
• His works are exhibited in museum collections across China
• To him, bamboo is a universal language with the world

Born in Wuzhen, Lihuai Qian grew up in a family dedicated to bamboo weaving, an Intangible Cultural Heritage craft. During his studies in industrial design, modern structural aesthetics awakened his desire to revitalise the traditional craft he had grown up with. In 2011, he returned home to practise bamboo art beyond utility, adapting the craft to a new context, freed from its historically functions. "I view my role as being a linguist deconstructing ancient weaving techniques into fundamental geometric rules and systemised patterns," says Lihuai. His works have been exhibited across France, China and Japan, and he held his first solo exhibition, BAMBOO ARTNOW, in Tokyo in 2023. By reshaping the ancient codes of bamboo, Lihuai turns traditional Chinese craftsmanship into a dynamic medium for contemporary and global dialogue.