Paris, January 2025 — At the globally renowned Paris Maison & Objet 2025, Chinese designer Minxuan Zhao (X) presented her latest works alongside nine distinguished artists from around the world, engaging in an artistic dialogue on Emotional Thinking and Craft Thinking. Held at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, the exhibition attracted over 100,000 visitors, immersing them in a diverse display of glass, plastic, textiles, stone, paper sculpture, photography, and painting.
Through these mediums, the exhibition explored the interaction between craftsmanship and sentiment, the interplay of light and structure. Amidst these expressions, Minxuan Zhao (X) introduced a new form of art, where painting transcends the canvas to become a language of culture—one that bridges geographies and histories, allowing more people to experience the warmth of Chinese craftsmanship and hear the voices of contemporary Chinese designers.
Her featured work, Real You, is a visual reflection on life experiences, inspired by Minxuan Zhao (X) ’s time in New York. The intricate yet fluid lines in the piece, though seemingly chaotic, are composed of the simplest elements—mirroring the journey of life, filled with twists and turns yet ultimately returning to an essential inner state. The bottom right of the painting features a dark segment, symbolizing the artist’s own head while also serving as the perspective of an observer—detached, non-judgmental, merely watching life’s ebb and flow. Minxuan (X) describes this piece as her “personal résumé”, with each stroke capturing a fragment of her growth—a record of solitude, pain, longing, and hope, all woven into the fabric of self-identity. Seeking to push the boundaries of traditional presentation, she integrated this painting with Chinese heritage and craftsmanship, transforming it into tangible, wearable, and sensory experiences that redefine the way people engage with art.
Silk, a medium deeply embedded in Chinese tradition, has carried centuries of cultural significance. As an extension of Real You, Minxuan Zhao (X) reinterpreted the artwork through a silk scarf, endowing it with a new sense of fluidity and practicality. “Silk is not just a luxurious fabric—it is a historical bridge between East and West,” she explains. She deliberately chose an oversized format, ensuring that beyond its striking visual impact, the scarf could envelop the wearer, allowing it to become a vessel of cultural expression. Art, she believes, should not remain confined within museums—it should weave itself into daily life, becoming a natural extension of one’s identity.
This philosophy extends to porcelain, where Real You finds a second canvas. Minxuan (X) applied her design to fine white ceramic plates, hand-painted and high-temperature fired, seamlessly integrating contemporary art with timeless craftsmanship. “Art should not be distant and untouchable,” she asserts. “It should be something you can hold in your hands, something as intimate as the warmth of a dinner table.” Through her “Re-craft” process, she grants her work new life across materials and cultural contexts, ensuring that art exists not as a relic, but as a living dialogue.
For Minxuan Zhao (X) , cultural exchange is an essential theme in her work. Having lived in multiple cities across China before studying in the UK and the US, she has observed how different societies perceive and define beauty. She notes that while Western audiences show great interest in Chinese traditional craftsmanship, their understanding often remains superficial, overlooking the rich narratives and histories embedded within these art forms. Her mission is to reinterpret and present these traditional elements in a more modern, interactive way, bridging the gap between curiosity and comprehension. Simultaneously, she envisions this global recognition reflecting back onto China’s domestic market, rekindling appreciation for traditional craftsmanship among younger generations and encouraging a renewed sense of cultural pride.
As an artist, designer, and co-founder of Lesley Studio, Minxuan (X) has showcased her work in numerous prestigious international exhibitions and has received esteemed accolades, including the iLuxury Award. She is deeply committed to collaborating with Chinese artisans specializing in intangible cultural heritage, striving to bring traditional craftsmanship onto the global stage. Additionally, she is a strong advocate for nonprofit art organizations and women’s empowerment initiatives. Her work and artistic vision have been featured in over 500 international media outlets, including AP News and Business Insider, establishing her as a key figure in promoting contemporary Chinese culture on the global stage. She hopes that this international recognition will, in turn, reinvigorate the domestic Chinese market, inspiring a renewed appreciation for cultural heritage and encouraging the younger generation to rediscover the value of traditional craftsmanship.
Her creative journey continues, as she actively explores cross-disciplinary collaborations, seamlessly integrating traditional craftsmanship with innovative design, ensuring that art evolves into a way of life. She firmly believes that the true value of art lies not only in the prestige of exhibition spaces but in its ability to connect people, to serve as a bridge between cultures. Looking ahead, she explores the intersection of craftsmanship and automotive innovation, bringing cultural storytelling to the dynamic surfaces of modern Technology Products. Minxuan aspires to collaborate with Elon Musk to integrate her artistic vision into the future of Starship design, where Starship is not just a mode of transportation, but expressions of identity, different cultures, and creative evolution.
In this ongoing global artistic dialogue, Minxuan Zhao is not just a participant—she is a connector. Through her work, she builds bridges that allow the warmth of Chinese craftsmanship to be felt worldwide, while creating a broader stage for the next wave of Chinese designers. She believes that in the end, art will surpass borders, becoming the most profound and enduring form of human resonance.