This piece was created specifically for the 5th China International Contemporary Metal Art Exhibition in Shanghai. The theme for the exhibition was 'Integration: Ancient & Modern' so the ‘Vortex’ brooch expands on my ongoing research interests surrounding traditional goldsmithing practices that date back thousands of years in parallel with my interest in metallurgy and experimental methods. I wanted to explore scale and form, while playing with techniques influenced by the ancient art of filigree to create unique textures and colour shades. It is an original use of ‘old’ and ‘new’ metals, both highly ductile and both corrosion resistant. The materiality of gold and titanium influence the jewellery as do the technical challenges but the limitations also inspire new ways of working. I have balanced the qualities of gold, its preciousness, weight and intrinsic value in contrast with high tensile strength to density ratio of titanium, allowing me to construct light and stable pieces. In addition to this I can achieve spectacular contrasts and shifts in colour by heat anodising the piece.
Metal art has always been accompanied by the development of human civilisation. In the splendid civilised ancient society and today's high technology, new materials, new technology and new ideas of metal art constantly promote its innovation and development. On the one hand, metal artists or practitioners stick to the tradition, on the other hand, they explore and experiment in different ways, creating and constructing new fashion and new style of contemporary metal art. Craftsmanship contains a nation's cultural value, philosophy and practical experience.
The inheritance and innovation of craft is of great significance to the inheritance and development of national culture, the conservation of cultural ecology, the enrichment of cultural resources and the enhancement of cultural confidence. Inheritance and innovation of metal craft is of great help to promote the traditional craftsmanship and traditional culture better in contemporary society, contributes to promote the development, transformation and upgrading of the metal art industry to boost the resources complementation, the interactive development and powerful combination between related art institutions, industrial enterprises and industry practitioners thus forming the cultural soft power and strengthening the international influence.
To this end, on the basis of four international metal art exhibitions held in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2017, Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University and Chinese Arts and Crafts Society will co-host the "China International Contemporary Metal Art Exhibition" in Shanghai.
More than 160 pieces of contemporary metal art works collected from around the world will be exhibited. The exhibition is jointly organised by the Department of Arts and Crafts in Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University, the Metal Art Professional Committee of the Chinese Arts and Crafts Association, and the Beijing Gongmei Art Research Institute.
It is co-organized by Henan Huaxia Copper Art Forming Technology Research Institute and Bai Rui Art Space, and funded by the " China National Arts Fund".
