Leica and Lexar Present Exhibition on Suzhou Kesi Craft

Lexar and Leica have collaborated to present an exhibition at Leica Gallery Amsterdam that delves into the intricate art of Suzhou kesi, a traditional Chinese silk weaving craft.

Jingwei, whose work is rooted in the meticulous and patient process of kesi, explains, "What moves me most about kesi is its restraint. It is not a free gesture but created within the order of warp and weft, built slowly through time, patience, and the experience of the hand." The exhibition captures the essence of this craft through Huang's lens, showcasing the people, tools, textures, and gestures that are integral to the kesi process.

Suzhou kesi is renowned for its highly detailed handmade process, where artisans work thread by thread to form delicate patterns, colors, and textures. Each piece requires a deep familiarity with the material, patience, and precision. For Jingwei, kesi is not just a technique but a way of continuing cultural memory through daily practice. The craft exists not only in the completed silk artwork but also in the repeated hand movements, tools, decisions, and concentration that happen before the final piece is complete.

Photographer Jing Huang approaches kesi with a unique perspective, influenced by Chinese ink painting and small-format compositions. His photographs are less about explaining the heritage object and more about creating a visual experience. Through his lens, the tools, threads, hands, and studio details become part of a larger study of form, texture, and time. Huang states, "For me, photography is not only about recording time. Sometimes it is about forgetting time. What stays in an image is not simply when or where it was taken, but whether it carries a sense of beauty that can still be felt beyond that moment."

The exhibition, which opens on September 11, 2026, at Leica Gallery Amsterdam, invites audiences to look beyond the final artwork and spend time with the process behind it. The project explores the relationship between the photographer's eye and the artisan's hand, highlighting how visual memory travels across cultures.

Lexar's role in the project is to ensure that the original records of the photographs are safely preserved. Grace Su, General Manager of Europe at Lexar, explains, "Before an image becomes an exhibition print, a film still, or a cultural archive, it first exists as an original file that needs to be protected. Through this project, Lexar and Leica are exploring how real craft, real photography, and reliable storage can work together to preserve moments that cannot be recreated."

The exhibition is not only about silk weaving but also reflects on the value of a real captured moment in an age where images can be generated faster than ever. It underscores the unique roles that photography and storage can play in preserving presence, carrying memory, and giving real moments a future beyond the moment itself.