Artist Liang Shaoji, Known For Silkworm Collaborations, Dies At 81

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Chinese artist Liang Shaoji, celebrated for his multidisciplinary installations involving silkworms, has died at age 81 in Shanghai following an illness. His longtime dealer, ShanghART Gallery, announced his passing. The gallery conveyed its sorrow in a social media post, stating:“It is with profound sadness that ShanghART Gallery announces the passing of Liang Shaoji.”

Liang initiated his extensive“Nature Series” project in 1989. This body of work centered on his research and artistic engagement with silkworms and silk farming, which he viewed as a“creation medium” and“collaborative partners.” For these pieces, Liang introduced silkworms to various objects, ranging from everyday items like shoes and plastic cups to more substantial elements such as massive iron chains, oil barrels, and debris from earthquakes. Under his careful guidance, the silkworms transformed these objects into their cocoons, enshrouding them with delicate white threads to create unique sculptures.

The gallery explained:“Through this sustained dialogue with nature, his work explored time, life, transformation, and the process of creation.” Liang incorporated diverse mediums in his installations, including sculpture, textiles, films, performance, and sound, often working on a grand scale. This dynamic interaction between the artist, the silkworms, and the objects served as a powerful metaphor for life's continuous change, its cycles, and its fragile endurance. His practice also reflected his interest in traditional Eastern philosophies and aesthetics, where the silkworm symbolizes rebirth and reincarnation in Chinese culture.

In a 2017 interview, Liang summarized his artistic philosophy, saying:“In summary, my art is complex; the soul of it is experience and meditation.” His acclaimed 2024 solo exhibition,“Sea of the Cloud,” at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shenzhen, featured a large iron chain covered by silkworm threads, presented against a filmed ocean backdrop. Liang recounted the inspiration for this particular piece:“It was when I saw a silkworm crawling onto the roof. It crawled slowly, almost slipping off the edge, when suddenly it caught hold of a thread in the middle. It immediately spun silk around it, securing itself, then wobbled and climbed back up. In that moment, I felt life hanging by a thread, teetering on the brink. It was a profound impact. I felt a greater sense of purpose. Not just witnessing that single thread, but the suspense of life itself and the resilient will to survive.” He later conceived the idea of using a giant metal chain as a structure for the silkworms.“The iron chain formed a loop with two ends joined together, creating a figure-eight shape reminiscent of the silkworm's spinning,” he noted. For Liang, the contrast between the cold iron and the soft, warm silk also symbolized complementary forms of spiritual strength.

Liang's method of using live animals as artistic“collaborators” drew questions from some critics, a practice he defended in past interviews. In a 2017 interview, he stated:“Based on observation and analysis of the life of the living creature, I find and cultivate its own potential and naturally achieve the transformation. I use biotech in a moderate way to activate genes while avoiding violent intervention.”

Born in Shanghai in 1945, Liang was compelled to work in one of China's largest linen fabric factories after the Cultural Revolution prevented his enrollment in local art school. In the 1980s, after traveling internationally and exploring his emerging concepts of integrating different mediums into“multi-dimensional art,” he pursued studies at the School of Tapestry at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. He specialized in“soft sculpture,” a movement co-founded by his teacher, Bulgarian master tapestry artist Maryn Varbanov. He resided for much of his life in a temple on Mount Tiantai in Zhejiang Province and was frequently referred to as the“holy hermit.”

Liang was recognized both in China and internationally. He was awarded the Chinese Contemporary Art Award (CCAA) in 2002 and the Prince Claus Award in 2009. Despite his accolades, Liang maintained a modest demeanor, often remarking:“I am a silkworm.” Reflecting on his life's work, the artist shared:“Nature perpetually renews itself; my creation does not end.”

Source: ARTnews

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