Artist wows Paris with works of Xiang embroidery

A Hunan embroidery inheritor recently captivated Paris with her contemporary interpretations of traditional Chinese craftsmanship at the prestigious Revelations 2025. Liu Ya from Changsha, Hunan province, presented 20 innovative Xiang embroidery pieces during her solo exhibition at the Grand Palais on May 21.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron visited the exhibition opening, where Brigitte Macron acquired one of the pieces from Liu, a double-sided palace fan embroidery featuring bamboo motifs. "When the president's wife picked up that fan," Liu reflected emotionally, "she was holding more than just craftsmanship."

Born into a Xiang embroidery family, Liu Ya is the daughter of Liu Jianxin, a national inheritor of Xiang embroidery and master of Chinese arts and crafts. Raised within the Hunan Embroidery Research Institute Co, she was trained in traditional Chinese painting from the age of five before studying Western art techniques during middle school. After completing her higher education in the UK, Liu abandoned a lucrative career to join her mother's studio.