Textile Art as Psychocultural Therapy: Exploring Body–Mind Connections and Cultural Expression through Chinese Grass Cloth

Abstract

Natural forms serve as an important source of inspiration, profoundly influencing the design language and spiritual essence of textile art as a medium of psychocultural reflection and therapeutic expression. This study aims to explore the innovative application potential of Chinese grass cloth in textile art based on natural forms within a psychosomatic and cultural context. Objectives: (1) To understand public perception of grass cloth and textile art, as well as market demand from a cultural psychology and health aesthetics perspective; (2) To explore the physical properties of grass cloth and its experimental artistic practices methods in simulating and interpreting natural forms as expressions of embodied healing and mindfulness; (3) The study used a convenience sampling technique to distribute online questionnaires, obtaining 308 valid samples to assess public perception of traditional Chinese grass cloth and textile art as potential channels of psychosocial well-being and cultural identity. Additionally, material experiments involving various treatments of grass cloth tested its ability to simulate natural forms, textures, and colors that evoke sensory awareness and mind–body integration. Based on these findings, textile art installations inspired by specific natural forms were created. Research findings indicate that diverse fabric manipulation processes and interactive technologies can effectively expand the expressive dimensions of grass cloth in terms of natural texture, form, and aesthetic appeal. The project created art installations based on natural forms, fully validating the immense potential of grass cloth in conveying natural imagery and innovating artistic expression. Combining the aesthetic connotations of natural forms with the material characteristics of grass cloth not only enriches the expressive language of contemporary textile art but also provides an effective pathway for the contemporary transformation and innovative application of traditional materials in health humanities and therapeutic design. In terms of cultural heritage preservation and product development, this study explores new ways for Chinese grass cloth to carry and transform natural imagery, enhancing the cultural value of traditional craftsmanship through artistic innovation that bridges art, psychology, and wellness. In terms of artistic innovation, the experimental application of natural-inspired grass cloth provides contemporary textile art with a form language that embodies Eastern cultural characteristics and biomimetic qualities rooted in mind–body connectivity and psychosomatic aesthetics.