Venice’s canals have long inspired artists. Today, Chinese visual artist Zhang Yuan brings a fresh, data-driven twist with City Cutting, a textile series that turns luxury tailoring leftovers into detailed urban landscapes.
By sourcing discarded fabrics from high-end mills like Loro Piana and Dormeuil, Zhang transforms fragile remnants into dense, stitched surfaces that resemble city maps. Each piece invites viewers to explore familiar skylines while reflecting on consumption and waste.
Supported by Alibaba Cloud Energy Expert, the project’s carbon footprint has been rigorously measured:
- 1.53 kg CO₂e per kg of fabric
- 5.39 kg CO₂e per kg saved over its life cycle
For young global citizens, City Cutting merges art and sustainability. Business and tech enthusiasts will appreciate the scientific assessment, while changemakers can draw inspiration for circular solutions. Even travelers and digital nomads can discover a new way to see cities—mapped by fabric, not concrete.
City Cutting is on view now in Venice. Dive into Zhang Yuan’s work and share your own ideas on how art can reshape our environmental footprint across cultures and borders.
Reference(s):
UN80: Chinese artist in Venice maps climate action with fabrics
cgtn.com
