Fibre and mixed media artist Shin-hee Chin stitches portraits, installations and quilted forms that honour the quiet strength of womanhood and the complexity of belonging. Drawing on spirituality, feminism and Eastern philosophy, her art invites reflection on care, identity and paradox. Her recent piece Viriditas (Greenness) won Best of Show at Quilt National '25, celebrating innovation in contemporary quiltmaking!
Through the process of my work, I become myself.
- Shin-hee Chin
Takeaways from this episode
- Fibre is a generous medium.
For Shin-hee, thread and fabric offered creative freedom during years of caregiving, parenting and teaching. Readily available and deeply symbolic, these materials became a way to make art in the margins of daily life.
- The domestic is not insignificant.
In works like her installation MOM, Shin-hee honours the repetitive, often invisible labour of women. "Women's work is hard work," she says. "It's sustaining, even if it goes unrecognised."
- Portraits are a form of empathy.
Whether stitched from yo-yos or coiled fabric, Shin-hee's portraits are not just likenesses. They are meditations on humanity, memory, and interconnectedness. "I want their faces to speak about humanity," she reflects.
- Spirituality shapes the process.
Shin-hee's Christian faith, merged with Eastern philosophy, informs not only what she makes but how she makes it. Her slow, meditative stitching becomes an act of devotion, reflection and healing.
- Art embraces paradox.
In Shin-hee's work, contrasts coexist between male and female, East and West, art and craft. Rather than seeking resolution, she invites us to dwell in complexity and see beauty in contradiction.
Explore the artwork from this episode below
During the live interview, we shared some images of Shin-hee’s artwork. Since you’re listening to the podcast version, we’ve made these images available for you below.
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