- Chinese Name: 邱錦緞
- Born: 1962
- Birthplace: Nantou County (Central Taiwan)
- Did You Know That …?
- Bamboo can be cut and used after only three or four years of growth, and the more it is cut, the better it grows. Compared with timber, which can take decades to grow before it can be used, this makes bamboo an ideal eco-friendly material for everyday items.
Chiu Chin-tuan was born in Nantou County's Xitou region, where she grew up around bamboo. In 1992, she returned to her old high school, National Chushan Senior High School, teaching bamboo weaving as part of a five-year plan run by the Council of Agriculture after being mentored by National Crafts Achievement Award winner Huang Tu-shan (黃塗山).
Beginning in 2006, Chiu was invited to exhibit her work at various locations, including venues in Canada and Taiwan's Presidential Office. Four years later, in 2010, she was selected to formally join the 4th Taiwan Crafts Workshop. In May 2019, Chiu was also invited to put on a small bamboo art workshop as part of Salon Révélations in Paris, sharing her art and giving demonstrations to professional attendees at the biennial.
Chiu’s work, with her exquisite weaving techniques and ingenuity, is a showcase for the aesthetics and properties of bamboo, from pieces as small as table ornaments to ones as large as landscaping decorations.
Her teaching time is split between Zhushan Township Office, Taichung City Dadun Cultural Center, and the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) Taipei Branch's "Creative Bamboo Weaving" classes. Through these, she has created a platform for the sharing of skills for any willing and eager student, from Taiwan or abroad, to learn from.
On the international promotion front, Chiu works with the NTCRI's Yii project, helping create a brand for Taiwanese handcrafts on the world stage while also shining a spotlight on Taiwanese bamboo art by working with artists in a variety of media to inspire a wave of innovation in craftwork.
Chiu's work also captures a distinctively feminine mode of thinking, reflected through her combination of powerful and soft elements. Her inspiration and creativity sparked through the process of working with different designers, Chiu strives to combine the traditional, modern, and postmodern in her weaving, integrating diverse materials like ceramics, fabric, leather, and metal in her pieces.
Using modern design to showcase her innovative techniques, Chiu combines bamboo art with a range of decorative and crafting techniques to fully bring to life her imagination and bring out the spirit of her works. With a combination of practicality and forward-looking artistry, Chiu's sustainable art is creating a new look and a new spirit for Taiwanese bamboo art.