artist of texture: shishi san

shishi san creates vases that look like they’ve emerged from dreams, thickly woven, drowning in colour, textured like wool-made ceramics. her work has appeared in galleries from brussels to south korea and lives somewhere between sculpture, memory, and softness. we met in her apartment in the historic heart of brussels for a conversation about her art, the intimacy of textiles, the everyday tensions of being an artist-mother, and what comes next after success.

EF: let’s begin at the beginning. how did you discover this medium — the way you work with thread and texture?

SS: i’ve always done things with my hands — sewing, knitting, crochet. that led me to discover punch needle embroidery, which is a manual technique to create textile surfaces, almost like rugs. later, i found out about tufting guns, the electrical machines used to create textile art faster and on a larger scale. i started exploring tufting around 2019.

EF: and that’s how you began creating the large rug-like sculptures?

SS: yes. the manual punch needle was slow and meditative, but with the tufting machine i could make bigger pieces and build forms — not just decorate surfaces. that changed everything.

EF: you’ve shown your work in brussels — i remember your vases at edj gallery in châtelain. but also abroad?

SS: yes, i was invited to participate in a group show in south korea, in the city of ulsan. that was earlier this year, in may. it was an incredible experience.

EF: your collaboration with pdpaola was very cool. i saw the video where you walk around the big department store in marolles, talking about chinese ceramics. how do you approach inspiration?

SS: my cultural background plays a huge role. i was adopted, but i’ve always felt connected to my vietnamese heritage. i’m drawn to asian art, traditional craft, symbolism — i express myself through that.

EF: and how do you choose the colors?

SS: it’s intuitive. like mixing paint — i build a palette as i go. i can’t design in my head. it’s only once i start working that the colors and forms make sense.

EF: what do you do when inspiration doesn’t come?

SS: i step away. go into nature. cities and screens exhaust me. i don’t draw from existing references. i need silence. a reset. we went to the basque country — it’s the perfect balance of mountains and sea. that duality really feeds me.

EF: and brussels?

SS: it inspires me architecturally. the art nouveau details — floral motifs, curved ironwork, stained glass. i photograph them all the time. they influence the volumes and patterns in my work.

EF: there’s this one photo on your instagram, near the saint-gilles prison, of a façade covered in flowers…

SS: yes. i’m obsessed with anything sculptural and curved. even though i don’t like kitsch! (laughs) my own life is very minimal. it’s funny — like a chef who doesn’t cook at home.

EF: does your child engage with your work?

SS: he loves it — especially the colors. his dad is a tattoo artist, so he’s grown up surrounded by visuals and color. he can recognize textures and names of hues. he even imagines where my pieces could live — in real space.

EF: do you observe people’s reactions to your work in galleries?

SS: always. i love that my work doesn’t need explanation. it speaks for itself — the material invites touch, the color draws attention. people are often surprised — they think it’s ceramic until they get close. that surprise is part of the experience. it feels like success to me when people smile or just quietly take it in.

EF: i remember seeing your pieces at the rooms exhibition in mix — they were so much larger than i expected.

SS: yes, that show changed a lot for me. the scale shocks people. photos don’t convey the weight or density of the yarn. some pieces look massive but are made of light material like cardboard — i build the shape from scratch and then cover it with textile.

EF: do you imagine how your pieces will be used in someone’s home?

SS: yes — more as design or décor. like a painting. on a shelf, surrounded by objects. i see them as completing a visual space, like a sculpture on a wall.

EF: what’s your working process like?

SS: i usually work with a background series playing — not music, but something i don’t have to follow closely. it fills the space without taking over my focus. music distracts me too much sometimes.

EF: how long does it take to create a piece?

SS: it depends. a single large vase can take weeks. i usually work on several at once when possible, depending on the canvas size. then there’s finishing, assembling, and cleaning up.

EF: do you dream of using other materials?

SS: definitely. i feel i’ve explored this medium deeply — and i don’t want to be boxed into one thing forever. but financially, it’s hard to experiment. there’s not always support for artists to transition or try new things.

EF: do collaborations help?

SS: sometimes. but most aren’t funded, so i often can’t afford to do them. it’s difficult to sustain a living from art alone. many artists i know feel the same. it’s a beautiful but precarious path.

EF: have you ever visited vietnam?

SS: not yet. i’d love to go — but i’d need at least a month. two weeks isn’t enough. i want to go with my family and really immerse myself. it’s a dream i haven’t yet realized.