Feather Adornments: Boris Huang

“What makes my feather artworks different from others is the skill passing and culture crossing from two different ethnicities. There’s love, encouragement and home for a stranger like me to settle in, and there’s respect for this land and culture.”
—Boris Huang

With a background in engineering and business, Boris Huang decided to apprentice with the Hawaiian Feather Lei Master, Aunty Mary Lou Kekuewa and learn Hawaiian feather work. In traditional Hawaiian culture, leis and other feather adornments represent welcoming and compassion as well as protection. In the past such pieces were reserved solely for royalty, but today Huang has made feather leis for a number of celebrities, dignitaries and special events.

Huang is a master of the laborious technique where each single feather is individually tied to a textile net base. Feathers are sustainably sourced from moltings and other harmless means of gathering. Before Huang even begins creating, the feathers must be carefully washed, cleaned and dried. Feathers from different parts of the bird have different qualities and these subtle variations become the basis for aesthetic decisions. 

Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Harvest – Bountiful Blessings, 2024, feather cape
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Safeguard Auspiciousness, 2024, feather apron
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Safeguard Auspiciousness, 2024, feather apron, detail
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang installation view
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Tranquil Resplendence – Beauty of the Feathers Series, 2024
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Tranquil Resplendence – Beauty of the Feathers Series, 2024
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Golden Age of Opulent Beauty, Hat Band, 2024
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Golden Age of Opulent Beauty, Hat Band, 2024
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Cherry Blossom Madness, 2024
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, Cherry Blossom Madness, detail
Boris Huang, Craft in America
Boris Huang, White Tiger and Azure Dragon

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This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.