Two weaving projects at West Bund Museum

Thread is the core of the two projects "Weaving Together" and "Connected by Threads" at the West Bund Museum.

These two projects seem to fuse a kind of warmness of the museum against the winter and remind the viewers of the charisma of hand weaving.

Since its launch last November by West Bund Museum, "Connected by Threads" has brought together nearly 200 participants including volunteers and weaving enthusiasts to weave different patterns of fabrics in various hues. These works, under the concept of "one person, one square," bridge life with art. Then these fabric pieces embodying different memories and emotional links from the hands of each individual were assembled into a large-scale art installation that envelops the exterior facade of the museum and its outdoor public facilities such as the benches.

The project tries to connect individuals with others of diverse cultures and ideologies, breaking the conventional barriers between art renderings and the viewers. It encourages more people to move from "admirer" to "creator" in art, promoting the notion that "everyone is an artist."

On closer inspection of this collective art piece, viewers might find various textures, colors and patterns of the daunting piece linked via thread.

Echoing the outside large fabric installation, "Weaving Together" at the museum's atrium is a large-scale public weaving project created by architect and artist Emilie Queney in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou.

The interactive art installation, featuring multiple mobile looms and weaving stations, invites participants to collaboratively create vibrant textiles inside the museum, cultivating a shared sense of belonging and identity within the space.

The simple, repetitive act of hand-weaving- introduced first in northern France, then at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and now in Shanghai adds another layer of togetherness, expanding the symbolic connection between people across different locations.

By fostering a sense of conviviality and sharing, the installation welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds to take part in this unique and engaging activity, with a fresh and contemporary perspective on the age-old craft of weaving.

For example, around the stations, participants are able to blend freely and imaginatively an array of available materials including plastic netting, zippers or straps into unconventional weaves. These elements thread horizontally and vertically through the holes of the orange construction site nets to form color patterns.

According to the organizer, the atrium will be covered by the material intertwines and meshes together by all the participants finally.

If you go

Date: Through April 27, 2025 (closed on Mondays), 10am-5pm

Venue: West Bund Museum

Admission: Free

Address: 2600 Longteng Ave

龙腾大道2600号