LIANA CHAN

My practice is inspired by the moments of sparks that remind me what it means to feel alive. I am fascinated by the sparks of light that emerge through both celebration and hardship, and I use making as a way to hold onto these fleeting experiences. Driven by a desire to create the things I wish to see in the world, I work across garments, wearable objects, glass and light, combining craftsmanship, pattern cutting and material experimentation. My research into materials such as glass and plasma stems from their ability to embody both fragility and illumination, mirroring the complexity of human experience. Through storytelling and making, I transform personal encounters into physical forms that invite reflection, connection and interpretation.

Glass is the material at the centre of my practice. Through lampworking, I manipulate borosilicate glass with a torch to create chains, structures and wearable forms, exploring the potential of glass as a textile-like material that can drape and move with the body. My work also incorporates a kiln-casting nipple that is moulded from my body, glass blowing, and plasma technology, allowing me to investigate the relationship between body, light, material, and wearability. Through collaborations with glassmakers and neon specialists, I have developed illuminated plasma pieces into wearable sculptures that exist beyond their conventional architectural context. Alongside glass, I employ tailoring, pattern cutting, wool-felt moulding and hand pad-stitching techniques to create garments that closely contour and respond to the body. By combining traditional craftsmanship with material experimentation, I seek to expand the possibilities of wearable form.