ArtXchange Gallery presents The Impermanence of Life, the first Seattle exhibition of artwork by Prince Tiao Nithakhong Somsanith of Laos, and the first time his work has been for sale in the United States. This special three-week exhibit presents Somsanith’s delicate embroidered leaves, a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Lao court art form of gold and silver embroidery.

Using nature as a source of inspiration, Somsanith gathers fallen leaves on his daily walks, often broken and pierced with irregular holes. Somsanith then meticulously transforms these leaves into embroidered objects while keeping the stem intact, using the traditional Lao methods of gold and silver thread embroidery. The final works are precious, jewel-like sculptures that symbolize life and its fragility, representing the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of beauty.

Somsanith’s commitment to the artistic preservation of heritage and culture is further exemplified by his work using intricate cut-paper and stencil-printing techniques to recreate the famous mural paintings of Vat Had Sieo, a Buddhist monastery located within the UNESCO World Heritage protected area of Luang Prabang, Laos.