Popularity of traditional leather artistry soaring in China
A Chinese leather artist-designer, Qiao Xue, has seen her popularity skyrocket in her home country by livestreaming her leather carving techniques via Douyin (the Chinese TikTok).
Ms Qiao, from Yinchuan in Ningxia, combines time-honoured craftsmanship with a modern aesthetic to craft leathergoods inspired by both traditional Chinese motifs and contemporary culture.
The leather artist has previously harnessed her business background to take a data-driven approach to design by seeking feedback on the internet before putting any pieces into production.
Ms Qiao acknowledges that leather carving is only one aspect of leather artistry, which can include leather painting, sewing, dyeing, polishing and other processes, but hopes to increase awareness of handmade leather art, more generally - and among young people, in particular - through her live carving broadcasts.
Currently a visiting PhD scholar at China Academy of Art, where she is researching traditional Chinese handicrafts and their interpretation by contemporary designers, Ms Qiao is also presently in the process of setting up a leather artisan training course at Ningxia Vocational College of Art.
Image: Qiao Xue/People’s Daily.
