My silvesmithing “The Heft” was recently acquired by the Durham Oriental Museum and will be featured in the upcoming exhibition “New Chinese Ceramic Display.” The Oriental Museum boasts a collection exceeding 23,500 artefacts from China, Egypt, Korea, India, Japan, and other Far Eastern and Asian regions. The MacDonald gallery, revitalized under curator Cao Qin, serves as one of the primary gallery that showed Chinese works.
This Collection, known as the “New Chinese Ceramic Display,” showcases millennia of Chinese treasures, crafts, and art. Ceramics play a pivotal role in Chinese craftsmanship, yet their evolution is not isolated, as metal, glass, and porcelain works have developed alongside, influencing each other over the centuries.
Contemporary craft pieces have now been added to this narrative. I am immensely honoured that my work is part of this incredible permanent display. I extend my gratitude to the Oriental Museum and curator Cao Qin for their helping, as well as to Sarah Rothwell, curator at the National Museum of Scotland, for her support throughout this process. I am deeply appreciative, and I thank all the guests who attended on the opening night. This milestone represents a true honour!
The Heft
2023, 280*230*150mm
Gilding Metal, Steel
Photographed by Shannon Tofts
This project is an exploration of gravity, movement, and balance inspired by a stack of rocks. It is a kinetic silversmithing (sculpture). A significant amount of time was dedicated to crafts to achieve both engineering and aesthetic excellence. The pebbles are hollow and shaped through numerous times of raising, while the patterns of golden leaves are chased onto the surface, creating a fossil-like texture that reflects the contemplation of time. The entire artwork embodies a sense of effortless strength, natural rotation, and equilibrium influenced by external forces over time, embodying the concept of “和”(He: harmony) found in Chinese philosophy—a state of calm, patience, and embracing the natural flow.
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