An Ode to Planets

Yunan Ma was born and raised in Taiyuan, China. She grew up learning fine arts, and was accompanied by a diverse talents of family members. Yunan came to the United States at the age of 17. After graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Fashion Marketing and Management, Yunan worked at a well-known leather handbag company, where she mastered leather weaving techniques. Throughout the work experience, Yunan was fascinated about weaving and knitting subjects and discovered her passion in this field. To pursue her interest, she returned to school. In 2018, Yunan graduated from Academy of Art University with a MFA in Knitwear Design, where she was mentored by the famous knitwear designer Midori Sergent. Yunan was the only knitwear designer to attend the New York Fashion Week graduation runway; in addition, she was selected for 2018 CFDA+ Design Graduates Program. In the same year, the first pieces of Yunan Ma Fiber Art was created in her living room in San Francisco Bay Area with leftover materials from the knitwear collection.

Yunan Ma Fiber Art is executed with the finest natural fibers including merino wool, alpaca wool, mohair, silk, cotton, and novelty accent, that are carefully selected from top yarn mills around the world. With a fine arts and knitwear design background, Yunan believes fiber art is more than beautiful textures and exquisite craftsmanships. Every piece depicts a storytelling experience by interpreting energy and emotion in a cheerful way. A complex universe can be discovered inside of her fiber creatures, big or small, quiet or loud. Through the vision in her art, unlimited enthusiasm shines through from the creative manipulation of materials and techniques.

In “An Ode to Planets”, Yunan invites you to embark on a sensory odyssey inspired by the ethereal beauty of the galaxy, creating an immersive environment where the boundaries between the celestial and the terrestrial blur. The installation in this exhibit is crafted with an intentional embrace of organic forms, as well as playing the contrast between the organic warmth of matte wool and the cool sophistication of sleek surfaces. The swirling textures on the circular pieces tribute to the planets that have ceaseless activity in the universe. The reflective surfaces interact to form a dynamic composition that invite flow and exploration. This contrasting illustrates the harmonious coexistence of busy constellations and empty space. It is a visual metaphor for the dualities inherent in the cosmos. “Blossom in the Moonlight” captures the essence of growth, transformation, and the undiscovered excitement in the universe. It depicts delicate flowers bloom in the vast expanse of space during the enigmatic hours, and evokes a sense of wonder and elegance. It unfolds a transition between the phases of day and night, vitality and stillness. All of the elements in “An Ode to Planets” encapsulates the reverence admiration for the space and human emotions. Yunan invites you to this visual dialogue thread the rhythmic oscillation of vibrancy and calm, and allows yourself to gallivant around the planets and the space, to feel the interplay of lights and shadows, and to embrace the roaming imagination.