"I've always been inspired by Asian flowers, Chinese and Japanese vases with their patterns, colors and shapes. I wanted to create my own version of these vases."

Shishi San (1993) is a Brussels-based multidisciplinary textile artist who pushes the boundaries of practice with her fluffy vases. Each piece, beyond the object, is an ongoing search for new shapes, new color balances, and patterns both organic and symmetrical to her creations.

Adopted by a Belgian couple when she was young, Shishi San is originally from Vietnam. Inspired by this country from the outset, Shihsi San draws her inspiration from local folklore and traditions, adopting their visual identity while integrating a little of her personal history to create a work that represents her. Vietnamese culture shares a common history with China, Japan and Korea, and South and Southeast Asia thus play an important role in her practice. 

Since 2022, Shishi San has been exploring the sculptural potential of tufting with new three-dimensional works. She has moved away from traditional tufting by creating her first fluffy vases, tufted vases in 3D. Their uniqueness, vibrant colors and fine patterns have made Shishi San one of the rising stars of the practice. 

You can currently find Shishi San's work in our exhibition A(R)MOUR by Moroccan-Belgian photographer Mous Lamrabat. In the heart of Molenbeek, he made a photo series in collaboration with 12 Brussels designers, including Shishi. The series is an ode to Brussels creativity, but also to the cultural melting pot of our city. MAD Brussels spoke with Shishi San, an emerging talent in textile art, about her work, culture and inspiration.