“Art can do more than express—it can soothe, hold, and help.”
Material Memory and the Intimacy of Creation
Yicong Li, a multidisciplinary artist and educator based in Chicago, crafts deeply emotive works that blur the boundaries between fiber art, sculpture, and fashion. Her creations are more than aesthetic objects; they are experiences stitched with memory, emotion, and transformation. Working primarily with techniques such as knitting, crocheting, and hand sewing, Li constructs wearable sculptures and full-body forms that prioritize tactility and the emotional charge of materials. Her work is not simply about visual impact but about the power of softness—how texture and slowness can create space for healing, reflection, and intimate engagement.
Li’s journey into the world of art was not a calculated pursuit but an organic evolution. From a young age, making art with her hands became an instinctive way to process complex emotions and understand her identity. Her fascination with the interaction between textiles and the human body grew alongside her interest in psychology and the subtle ways that materials can convey energy. Wool, mohair, and natural elements like stone frequently appear in her work, each chosen for their sensorial qualities and emotional resonance. These materials don’t merely serve as media—they act as conduits for comfort, resilience, and transformation, for both the maker and those who encounter the piece.
Her creative language expanded profoundly during her final year in college through an interdisciplinary course titled Multimedia Event. The culminating live runway performance redefined how she perceived her practice, placing the body not only as a reference but as an active participant in the work. This pivotal moment allowed her to merge her affinity for fiber, fashion, and performance into a unified artistic direction. Since then, Li has continued to develop a distinctive style where sculpture is not static but something to be lived in, worn, and felt—deepening the experiential layers of her art.
Yicong Li: Sculpting Silence, Stitching Resilience
Rather than adhering to strict boundaries of medium or discipline, Li approaches art as a process of intuitive making. Her work emerges from a tactile dialogue between hands and material, often beginning with a loose inspiration that gradually solidifies through repetition and the physical rhythms of fiber manipulation. Whether knitting rows of soft yarn or carefully stitching beads into form, she allows the process itself to lead her—letting each piece evolve organically. This sensitivity to rhythm and movement creates pieces that carry the quiet pulse of labor, memory, and transformation.
Recurring motifs in her work draw from the natural world—particularly deep-sea creatures and botanical forms. These inspirations are not decorative; they reflect the emotional environments she seeks to build through her practice. The silent strength of organisms that thrive in the ocean’s darkest depths resonates with her desire to evoke calm, strength, and emotional depth. Their resilience in isolation becomes a metaphor for inner healing. Her sculptural garments reflect this: soft and protective yet powerful, offering a form of visual and tactile empathy that holds space for vulnerability and renewal.
A significant example of this sensibility is her piece Cassiopeia, named for both the jellyfish Cassiopea and the celestial constellation. This dual reference—fluid and organic, yet distant and fixed—encapsulates the tension she often explores between motion and stillness, body and spirit. Created with mohair, wool, stones, and pearls, the piece represents a personal transformation. It also bridges her dual roles as artist and educator, embodying the emotional labor she invests in her teaching. Cassiopeia became a meditation, a gentle offering that connects her creative and professional lives. It’s a sculpture that doesn’t just exist but listens, comforts, and holds space—marking a pivotal turn toward her interest in art as a tool for therapeutic engagement.
An Ecosystem of Texture and Thought
Li’s workspace mirrors her creative philosophy—welcoming both chaos and clarity. Rather than relying on stringent organization, she surrounds herself with the materials that speak to her in the moment: skeins of yarn, beads, fragments of fabric, and unfinished textures spread around her in what she refers to as “organized chaos.” This spatial openness allows her process to unfold without constraint, inviting spontaneity and discovery. At the end of a project, she restores order, creating a rhythm between expressive immersion and thoughtful reflection. This fluid movement between making and tidying gives her both the freedom to explore and the structure to reset.
Unexpectedly, television crime dramas play a key role in maintaining her focus. The structured logic and problem-solving elements of detective series provide a mental framework that contrasts with the fluidity of her artistic work. While stitching and constructing, she listens to narratives filled with tension and resolution. This dual engagement helps her stay grounded, feeding both analytical thinking and creative flow. The parallel she sees between solving mysteries and creating art—both involving patience, observation, and intuitive leaps—further enriches her process.
Sensory grounding is another essential part of her studio practice. Lighting incense creates a meditative atmosphere that centers her attention and helps her transition into a focused state. This quiet ritual—simple yet powerful—establishes a sense of presence and intention in her workspace. It allows her to move into a different mental space where creation feels both sacred and embodied. Combined with the tactile engagement of fiber, these practices contribute to an environment where emotional awareness and artistic exploration coexist.
Yicong Li: Weaving Art, Education, and Healing
Li’s artistic path is inseparable from her identity as an educator and her evolving interest in art’s therapeutic potential. Working closely with students, many of whom face social and emotional challenges, has sharpened her understanding of art as a space for emotional expression and resilience. Through her teaching, she witnesses firsthand how creativity can become a tool for self-discovery, regulation, and connection. This insight feeds directly into her own work, which often seeks to create environments of care—soft spaces that invite feeling, introspection, and dialogue.
Her use of fiber is not just a technical choice but a deeply felt commitment to art that engages the senses and the psyche. Soft sculptures, unlike paintings or drawings, invite touch and proximity. They evoke comfort, evoke memory, and can be worn or inhabited. This level of intimacy offers a therapeutic dimension that resonates with her goal of making art that heals rather than merely adorns. Li sees her sculptural garments not only as artistic statements but as emotional containers—vessels that can carry stories, absorb feeling, and gently transform those who encounter them.
Looking ahead, she is increasingly interested in how these practices might merge more intentionally with art therapy. Cassiopeia, in particular, became a personal landmark, revealing how her creative instincts could support healing in others. It stands as a testament to her vision: that art can be a sanctuary, a salve, and a bridge between self and community. Li is charting a path where fiber, movement, and emotion are woven into a practice that not only expresses but also embraces, supports, and transforms.
