Scabal welcomes Chinese artist Shi Yiran as Studio resident

Scabal’s second Artist in Residence programme welcomes Chinese artist Shi Yiran, whose meditation on memory and textile history unfolds across the Savile Row house through a series of works collectively titled Archeology of Textiles. Curated by Pascale van Zuylen, the residency invites Shi to investigate the threads connecting Belgium’s rich artistic legacy, from the luminous depths of Flemish painting to the sinuous lines of Art Nouveau, with the colours, patterns and textures that define Scabal’s fabric collections.

Shi’s practice draws from layers of history and architectural memory, transforming these influences into a poetic composition that weaves fragments of the past into visual form. Her engagement with Scabal’s materials reveals how textile design itself becomes an archaeological act: each weave, each colour choice, each tactile surface carries the weight of craft tradition and artistic vision. Working within the House’s workshops, she explores how the physical properties of cloth, its drape, its burnish, its depth, can articulate ideas about time, cultural heritage and the hands that shape beauty.

The residency reflects Scabal’s ongoing commitment to dialogue between sartorial craftsmanship and contemporary artistic practice. By opening its atelier to artists who work across disciplines, the house acknowledges that bespoke tailoring and fine art share a common language: the pursuit of form, texture and meaning through mastery of material. Shi’s work will remain visible throughout her residency months at Scabal’s Savile Row location.

Imagery courtesy of Scabal (@scabal).