Emily Xie

Material Histories is a series of unique works that embody artist Emily Xie’s focus on texture and abstracted mythological motifs, bringing them together for the first time with tactile, handmade embroidery.

The series unites computational artistry and textile-based artisanship – two fields that have been historically intertwined, and whose intersections are a consistent theme within Xie’s work. The contrast between her digital processes and this tangible media accentuate the cultural tension found between the virtual and the material, while proving that they can complement each other in powerful ways.

Each piece in this series represents one of the six elements between eastern and western cultures: earth, wood, metal, fire, water, and air. This distillation of nature into form is uniquely evocative of ancient stories around the elements, bringing a sense of strength and lore to each artwork fed from Emily Xie’s native abstraction.