“Nice hair.” All images © Han Cao, shared with permission
Through densely laid cross-stitches and whorls of thread, revitalizes discarded photographs and postcards. Similar to the artist’s , her latest series strikes a balance between the original subjects and the fiber-based additions. Sometimes covering faces with sparse dandelion puffs or confetti-like burst, Cao redefines the vintage pieces and explores how narratives linger as she stitches plumes of train steam that trail beyond the initial photograph’s edges.
Based in Palm Springs, the artist shares glimpses into her process on , and if you’re in Philadelphia, check out her embroidered pieces that are on view through August 22 at . Cao also sells some of her mixed-media works in .
Left: “Golden Conjurer.” Right: “Wallflower-Yellow Pansy”
“Mt Rainier”
“Runaway train”
“Runaway train”
“Generations”
Left: “A steady dissolution.” Right: “Sisters”
“Plume”
“Sister, sister”