What Started as a Simple Knot Turned into a Work of Art

Chinese-American artist, Windy Chien, takes a simple knot and elevates it into a work of art. Her work ranges in size from a knot that can fit in the palm of a child’s hand to room-sized installations that are sought after by private collectors.

“Due to my ethnicity, love of fringe culture such as punk rock, and uncommonly audacious attitude towards life, I’ve always felt like an outsider,” she writes on her website. “In the context of knots, I work at the intersection of function, design, history, and aesthetics to illuminate what I find fascinating about knots: the journey of the line.”

Chien is best known for her 2016 work, The Year of Knots, in which she learned a new knot every day for a year.

“I find endless inspiration in seeing knots in use in daily life,” she told HonestlyWTF blog. “I recently sailed the Amalfi Cost, and seeing knots used on board the boat was so refreshing to me, since my art regards functional knots for their aesthetic qualities. When I see, for example, the Halyard Hitch actually hauling sail up a mast, that’s inspiring… I’m also inspired by the concept of the journey and story. I’ve always been that way. “

Check out some of her mind bending projects.