Hug a sweater tree, and you might just feel a different kind of warmth.
A tree cradles a red heart; another spreads its “umbrella”; yet another lovingly embraces a white “kitten.” Each tree tells a unique story, forming a vibrant “sweater tree” forest. This enchanting scene unfolds at Beijing Raycom Infotech Park, the site of the “Walking Tree Clothes” project.
Fiber artist Xia Xin explains, “I hope to bring warmth to the city through artistic intervention.” Fiber art is an art form that uses textile materials such as wool, fabric, and yarn, incorporating techniques like quilting, embroidery, crochet, weaving, and plant dyeing.
Since its inception, Walking Tree Clothes has successfully carried out 23 projects across 12 cities in China, adorning 332 trees with colorful, hand-crafted “sweaters”. These whimsical, cozy tree installations have not only become popular photo spots for social media enthusiasts but have also introduced a new way for people to engage with their urban environment.
Bringing Art to Everyday Life
Reflecting on the project’s origins, Xia Xin shares, “‘Walking Tree Clothes’ is a fiber art project I launched in 2023. My goal is to infuse cities with warmth through artistic expression.”
At Beijing Raycom Infotech Park, visitors can find a variety of large-scale tree installations depicting delightful scenes—stroking a cat, sipping coffee, cheering with a milk tea in hand, gifting flowers, sprinting to work, and even offering a playful thumbs-up from behind. These charming snapshots of daily life invite passersby to pause, smile, and perhaps weave their own stories into the fabric of the city.
Art as a Bridge Between People and Spaces
To Xia Xin, urban trees serve as a medium for artistic intervention, but they are just the beginning. “There is so much more we can do to help people discover beauty in their daily lives and foster emotional connections through shared experiences,” she says.
“Art has the power to draw attention to social issues and spark thought. Through my work, I hope to raise awareness of these topics and encourage people to find healing and solutions through art,” she adds.
Ultimately, it all comes back to the tree—a silent witness to city life, now wrapped in warmth and meaning. Xia Xin hopes that more artistic creations will step out of galleries and into the streets, integrating seamlessly into everyday life and making the urban landscape just a little bit warmer.
Written by Chen Wang.
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