Xuanxuan

Xuanxuan was born in Ongniud Banner, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, and grew up at the
intersection of grassland and city life. Immersed in Mongolian culture from an early
age, she has developed an artistic language deeply rooted in nomadic traditions.

Using fabric remnants as her core medium, Xuanxuan combines leftover materials from
traditional Mongolian garments with contemporary textiles. Through handcraft
techniques such as patchwork and embroidery, she reconstructs grassland culture into
a contemporary visual expression.

Her practice consistently revolves around themes of the sustainability of nomadic
civilization and the warmth of women’s handcraft. The work presented in this
exhibition, Dark Steed Crossing, is a key piece in her ongoing Grassland Gene series,
aiming to use soft textiles as a carrier through which the spirit of the Mongolian horse
may find new interpretation and resonance on the international stage.

Concept & Inspiration

The wind of the grassland carries echoes of a thousand years, weaving through each
stitch the image of a Mongolian horse arriving atop drifting clouds. This work is
inspired by my memories of the Chifeng grasslands—where Mongolian horses gallop
into the morning light, their manes dancing with the flowing clouds, hooves
resonating with the rhythm of the heart. It is a life totem engraved in the blood and
bones of grassland people.

I chose remnants from Mongolian traditional clothing—each fragment once held
the warmth of herders and the imprint of nomadic civilization. With their frog
fastenings and embroidered patterns, these fabrics function like coded symbols of
the grassland. The sturdy texture of denim, by contrast, represents the pulse of
contemporary life. Interwoven through needle and thread, these materials awaken
the ancient spirit of the horse within a modern context.

The Mongolian horse in this work is not depicted through a literal outline, but
suggested through flowing curves and layered textures, forming the image of
“treading on clouds.” The black denim builds a sense of grounded strength, while the
subtle patterns and beaded details of Mongolian fabrics shimmer across the surface
—like grass leaves, like stars—restoring the romance and resilience of a people who
once lived upon horseback.

This is not merely a horse, but a contemporary translation of the grassland spirit:
free, steadfast, and deeply connected to the land.

As this work crosses mountains and seas to arrive in Austria, I hope it becomes a
soft bridge—one that uses the warmth of hand-stitching to help the world
understand the soul of the Mongolian horse, and to sense the continued growth and
renewal of grassland civilization in the present day.