Dixin Zheng

DIXIN ZHENG

DIXIN ZHENG'S JEWELLERY REDEFINES ADORNMENT, BLENDING craftsmanship WITH conceptual depth. THROUGH HER UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH, ZHENG'S WORK INVITES VIEWERS TO CONTEMPLATE THE body, time, AND environment, LEAVING A LASTING IMPRESSION.

ARTIST STATEMENT

As a jewellery designer and maker, I have developed proficiency in various silversmithing techniques and modern approaches, including forging, Chasing and Repouss, laser welding, and 3D modelling. I am interested in learning traditional techniques and using my own explorations to achieve them. In the project ‘A Crack in Everything’, I decided to inlay eggshells on metal rather than traditionally on wood, to explore the possibilities offered by combining cracked eggshells with undulating metal surfaces. My inspirations come from observing and perceiving subtle details and materials in daily life. I see my works as small sculptures or objects that can attach on people’s bodies. My ultimate goal is to continue evolving as a craftsperson, and contributing meaningfully to the craft community.

ARTWORK STATEMENT

Dixin’s collection “A Crack in Everything” is inspired by the broken floor tiles in Finsbury park station and developed from the traditional eggshell inlay technique to explore the interaction between people’s body and ground.

Dixin's works interrogate the relationship between time and matter, body and environment, past and present. In her defiance of the lines separating jewellery and conceptual art, Dixin's interactive pieces reimagine the notion of jewellery and have the potential to adorn the body in a multitude of ways. Inspired by naturally occurring textures, these works are meant to emulate the effects of time on matter. The interactive synthesis of metal and eggshells reflects the sturdiness which delicate things often possess.

Can you share with us your journey as a metalsmith and jewellery designer, from your early influences to your current artistic practice?

My undergraduate studies at CSM were primarily focused on crafting jewellery pieces that can attach on people’s bodies in unique ways. But I am not satisfied with only making jewellery, so I ventured to Heqing, a silversmith village in Yunnan Province, China, to broaden my skills. That experience ignited my passion for handcrafting and laid the foundation for my creations at RCA, I am currently making containers and utensils, like unconventional spoons.

How has your education at Central Saint Martins and Royal College of Art influenced your artistic approach and development?

I think my study at CSM has built a solid foundation for my later study and development. I not only learnt the design theories and principles, but also discovered the crafts that I love to specialise in. My study at RCA is also very fulfilling as I built my own methodology and learnt new silversmithing techniques. I discovered some interesting disparities between Chinese and UK silversmiths in approaches, which also brings positive influences to my design and making.

In your collection "A Crack in Everything," you explore the interaction between people’s bodies and the ground. What inspired this exploration, and how do you express it through your jewellery designs?

I was attracted by the broken floor tiles in Finsbury Park station, as they reminded me of cracked eggshells.I was thinking when and why these tiles broke? People walk, run and jump on the ground every day. People’s bodies exert pressure on the ground due to gravity, and the ground supports people's bodies. This back-and-forth interaction is interesting. Day after day, the flat ground gradually becomes uneven and some tiles become fragile and broken. Inspired by Gerd Rothmann who combined people’s bodies with metal work together, I forged and chased different metal pieces that can perfectly attach on my body and combined them with eggshells.

You mentioned proficiency in various silversmithing techniques and modern approaches. Could you walk us through your creative process, from initial concept to the finished piece?

My creative process begins with exploring inspiration sources in my daily life and sketching initial concepts. Then, I translate these concepts into prototypes, usually just simple paper models at first, then experimenting with different techniques and approaches, either traditional or modern. And refining my ideas. After selecting the most satisfying design, I meticulously make the piece, paying close attention to detail and quality. Finally, I focus on the surface and finish of my piece before presenting to the public.

Your use of materials, particularly the combination of metal and eggshells, is quite innovative. What draws you to experiment with unconventional materials, and what challenges or opportunities do they present?

I like observing objects and recycling materials in my mundane life. I even recycled garlic skins after cooking and used them to make a fluffy polishing mop before. I find that I am always attracted by materials that are fragile and delicate. Maybe it's because I often work with metal, which is hard. I like to transform those fragile materials in my own ways, and combine them with other things to strengthen their hardness. The problems I met during experiments are always due to the fragility of those materials, but I am happy to deal with these problems because I learnt and discovered diverse methods to transform the materials with different levels of fragility. And these materials gradually start to have characteristics and qualities they do not have initially.

Your pieces often blur the lines between jewellery and conceptual art. How do you envision your jewellery pieces interacting with the wearer and the viewer?

People might not think my works are jewellery pieces when they see them at first, and I am always curious about how audiences define my works or their thoughts about how to contact these pieces after they realise my works can be worn on body. Also, I wish to bring audiences an awareness that they are connected with their surroundings while interacting with my works. When they touch my work, they might touch other things at the same time, like the table that supports my work. The shape, structure and cracked patterns of my works include elements, like force and gravity. People may realise they are influenced by these elements as well when interacting with my jewellery pieces.

How important is the interactive aspect of your jewellery designs, and what role does wearability play in your artistic vision?

Interaction between people and different things are always my inspiration, it’s my starting point, and I always include it in my designs and final pieces. I think the interactive aspects of my jewellery not only include how audiences touch or wear my jewellery, but also what do audiences think while visually seeing my works. Some of my works are not really “wearable”, because when I designed and made them, I defined these works as objects that can attach on different parts of people’s bodies, not in the conventional sense of wearable jewellery.

Your work has been exhibited at prestigious events and has garnered recognition. What impact do you hope they have on the audience?

My works are always designed to be worn in special methods, because I want to try to break the traditional border of jewellery and I want audiences to think how they define jewellery and their relationship with jewellery. For example, in the collection ‘ A crack in everything’, I made a brooch without any pin on it. People need to use their finger to press this piece on their body if they want to wear it. At this time, people’s body is part of jewellery or jewellery is part of their body, they interact with each other. Also, I am questioning: Can a brooch without a pin not be considered as a brooch?

In what ways do you believe your jewellery contributes to the broader conversation within the craft community and contemporary art scene?

My jewellery pieces push the boundaries of traditional techniques, combine different techniques in a creative way, incorporate innovative materials, and create interesting dialogue between crafts and contemporary design.

What future projects or themes are you excited to explore in your artistic practice?

I am interested in exploring something across-space and the perception of people’s bodies.

ARTIST BIO

DIXIN ZHENG IS A metalsmith & jewellery designer BASED IN LONDON. GRADUATED FROM THE Central Saint Martins AND RECENTLY STUDYING MA Jewellery and Metal AT Royal College of Art, DIXIN’S WORKS NOT ONLY HAVE FORMAL CLOSENESS TO sculptures BUT ALSO EXPRESS THE poetry of mundane life. DIXIN ELABORATES ON THE SURROUNDINGS SHE OBSERVED THROUGH HER WORKS, ALLOWING AUDIENCES TO PERCEIVE AND RESONATE BY TOUCHING OR WEARING HER JEWELLERY. HER WORKS HAVE ALSO WON THE BRONZE AWARD FOR 3D Design Conceptual Jewellery IN THE 2023 Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Competition, EXHIBITED AT Munich Jewellery Week 2023 AND London Design Week 2023. HER RECENT PROJECT EXPLORES THE THEMES OF PERCEPTION, INTERACTION, TIME, SPACE, MOVEMENT, AND OBJECTS THAT ATTACH TO PEOPLE'S BODY.

REVIEW

Dixin Zheng's jewellery pieces are a testament to the fusion of craftsmanship and conceptual innovation, challenging conventional notions of adornment. Rooted in her experiences and observations of daily life, Zheng's creations serve as small sculptures that evoke the poetry of mundane existence. Her collection "A Crack in Everything" is a captivating exploration of the interaction between people's bodies and the ground, inspired by the broken floor tiles of Finsbury Park station. Through meticulous craftsmanship and a keen eye for detail, Zheng seamlessly combines metal with delicate eggshells, creating pieces that blur the lines between jewellery and conceptual art.

What sets Zheng's work apart is her willingness to experiment with unconventional materials and techniques. By forging a path that defies traditional boundaries, she breathes new life into the art of jewellery making. The use of eggshells, a fragile and delicate material, adds an intriguing dimension to her pieces, reflecting the passage of time and the resilience of the human spirit. Through her innovative approach, Zheng challenges viewers to reconsider their preconceptions of what constitutes wearable art.

Central to Zheng's artistic vision is the interactive aspect of her jewellery designs. Each piece invites the wearer to engage with it in a unique way, blurring the distinction between object and body. By encouraging this tactile interaction, Zheng prompts viewers to explore the connection between themselves and their surroundings. Whether worn as intended or displayed as art objects, her creations spark contemplation and dialogue, enriching the broader conversation within the craft community and contemporary art scene.

As Zheng continues to push the boundaries of her practice, exploring themes of perception and spatiality, her work promises to remain at the forefront of innovation in the field of jewellery design. With each new project, she invites us to see the world through fresh eyes, reminding us that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places. Through her art, Zheng leaves an indelible mark on the landscape of contemporary jewellery, inspiring us to embrace the extraordinary in the everyday.