Artist Vivian Chiu was always interested in making objects, but when she attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to study furniture design, she experimented with one of her favorite materials. “I love working with wood because it is additive, subtractive, and precise,” she says. “You can carve it away, build it back up, and cut it at a perfect 90-degree angle to a 32nd of an inch.”
Chiu later earned a graduate degree in sculpture from Columbia University, where she honed her skills, blending a mix of fine art and artisanal techniques. With a natural sensitivity, she utilizes continuous deconstruction and reconstruction to create her signature optical forms.
Vivian Chiu \ Photo: Juli Leonard
A community of fellow artists was just as vital as the work itself for Chiu. The most formative period for her was her time as a studio assistant for sculptor Ursula von Rydingsvard. There she bonded with colleagues who eventually became her closest friends. They are the support system Chiu turns to whenever she wants to talk about art or life.
Never content with the status quo, the Richmond, Virginia-based Chiu continues to evolve her practice. She has begun to delve into archival research of Chinese histories and myths, which serves as inspiration for the abstract images she plans to combine with marquetry.
Chiu has a full schedule of events and exhibits on tap, yet she still finds time for a favorite pastime, Texas Hold’em Poker. “I joined a free weekly league, and have met a whole new group of friends I might never have crossed paths with otherwise,” she notes. “The game satisfies the part of me that loves math, strategy, and algorithmic problem-solving.”
Today, Vivian Chiu joins us for Friday Five!
“Believing” by Yuri Kobayashi \ Photo: Craig Smith
1. Yuri Kobayashi
Yuri was my teacher during my undergraduate years at RISD, and she was the representation I needed to pursue sculptural woodworking. Her work ethic and craftsmanship are unparalleled, and she is the most generous and knowledgeable mentor a young woodworker could hope for.
“Wood Chair (Yellow Pine on Grass)” by Joyce Lin \ Photo: Courtesy of Joyce Lin
2. Joyce Lin
Joyce is an absolute superstar. The level of detail and intricacy in her work is jaw dropping. I envy the way she weaves material research into her sculptural furniture pieces. Her exhibition at R & Company right now is truly not one to miss!
Photo: Courtesy of Sylvie Rosenthal
3. Sylvie Rosenthal
Sadly, the world lost Sylvie Rosenthal recently, and I wanted to take a moment to share her genius. Her sense of humor and her joyous way of working with wood are qualities I will carry with me for a long time.
“Flawless” by Jennifer Ling Datchuk \ Photo: Courtesy of Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
4. Jennifer Ling Datchuk
I have always been inspired by Jennifer’s dark humor and the way she seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary influences, as well as East and West, in both material and concept. Her work is richly layered and deeply nuanced, and I am continually moved by what she creates.
“Juno Quilt” by Meg Callahan \ Photo: Angel Tucker
5. Meg Callahan
Meg and I were in the same program at RISD, and I’ve been both a friend and a fan of hers since we met. Her use of the grid in her quilt patterns, paired with her precise color waves, creates an effect that feels almost like op art. I’ve always been drawn to her use of pattern and algorithmic structure, and seeing those systems expressed through functional quilts has always been incredibly impressive.
Works by Vivian Chiu:
Blanket
96” x 96”x 0.75”, poplar, braided string
2019
“Blanket” is an 8 foot by 8 foot wooden blanket made of individual 3/4″ poplar cubes. In reference to my personal anxieties regarding queerness I wanted to make a weighted blanket that would reveal just as much information in the process of concealing.
Self V
66” x 17” x 17”
Poplar, Oak, Vinyl Adhesive, Acrylic
2022
‘Self V’ is a Burr puzzle made of 129 interlocking notched pieces that investigate visual coherence in relation to ideas of visibility/invisibility. Self portraits in projection view are printed on adhesive vinyl and applied onto each surface of the puzzle. The effect is so that as the viewer walks around the piece they encounter the optical illusion of compounded and clear photographs.
Self VI
66″ x 76″ x 76″
Red Oak, Vinyl Adhesive, Plywood, Packing Blanket
2022
The largest of the Burr puzzle pieces, this piece is made up of around 400 interlocking wood pieces to make a pixelated octahedron. Walking around the piece, the viewer encounters a triptych of a nude in recline starting at her feet. Drawing upon histories of both Eastern and Western Art, the fractured nude on this pieces puts a contemporary, queer and feminist spin on the traditional lying figure.
Inclination
48” x 48” x 16”
Maple, Paint
2018
‘Inclination’ is an exploration into opticality and perception. Tapered pieces of wood are painted then formed into an undulating Mobius strip. As the viewer walks around the piece, the black color fades in and out of view. This piece is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Art in Wood.
Family Dinner 2025
Installation at John & Robyn Horn Gallery, Penland School of Crafts, North Carolina
Family Dinner
86” x 86” x 5”
Pine Crate Wood from Wing On Wo & Co., Jasmine Rice, Plywood
2025
‘Family Dinner’ is a monumental ring of twenty-four conjoined bowls with rice flowing continuously between each vessel. This project is made with heirloom crates from Wing On Wo & Co, the oldest storefront in Chinatown, NY, known for its porcelain-ware imported from Hong Kong. The crude crate panels are carefully deconstructed, cut into faceted pieces, and reassembled to echo the ceramic vessels they once held. This meticulous process preserves the crates’ stampings and markings, tangible traces of their journey from Asia to the U.S, symbolically reflecting the migration stories of the Lum Family at W.O.W. and my own. Through labor and material, the piece honors heritage, resilience, and the shared act of gathering.
Revolving Vase (9 Peaches)
17”x 10” x10”
Pine Crate Wood from Wing On Wo & Co., Natural and Dyed Wood Veneers, Plywood, Hardware, Rosewood Stand (Not Pictured)
2025
“Revolving Vase (Nine Peaches)” reimagines an 18th-century Qianlong revolving vase, drawing inspiration from the traditional “Nine-Peaches Vase,” a symbol of longevity and immortality in Chinese culture. The outer vessel is constructed with the historic crates, while the interior features nine white peaches rendered in natural and dyed wood veneers using the double-bevel marquetry technique. Activated by turning the vase’s neck, the inner structure rotates to reveal the fruit scene within. This piece invites viewers to consider themes of cultural preservation, craftsmanship, and memory through the language of metaphor and movement.
Here and There
22” x 21” x 13”
Pine Crate Wood from Wing On Wo & Co.
2025
Conjoined Vase (Shuanglianping) is a group of vessels with separate mouths joined at the body, historically believed to safeguard a family’s well-being. In my series, the conjoined form represents my relationship to family, distinct yet bound together through shared memories and enduring familial ties.
Random Orbit
42” x 105” x 3.5”
Cherry, Lacquer
2024
Random Orbit is a large-scale composition of quarter dome forms created using a wood lathe. I used the technique of split-turning, which involves splitting the forms along the vertical axis, allowing them to be recombined and reconfigured as they come together, separate, and intersect.
Photography courtesy of Vivian Chiu, unless otherwise noted.
