Exhibition & Dialogue | BR gallery invited to participate in the COLLECT 2023 VIP Jewelry Dialogue session.

On March 3, 2023, Sally Li, the founder of Bai Rui Space, was invited by the COLLECT organizing committee to participate in a VIP contemporary jewelry dialogue session. As the only invited exhibitor, Sally Li engaged in in-depth discussions with independent jewelry consultants, BBC antique experts, and renowned author Ms. Joanna Hardy on the value and aesthetics of contemporary jewelry, as well as the regional cultures it represents.

Firstly, Daniella Wells, the marketing director of COLLECT and the moderator of the dialogue session, invited Sally Li and Joanna Hardy to briefly share their stories and experiences of how they became involved with contemporary jewelry from their respective backgrounds.Sally humorously mentioned that before entering the field of contemporary jewelry, she was still passionate about buying and wearing luxury jewelry from internationally renowned brands. During her nearly twenty years as the China Director of the University of Sheffield Hallam in the UK, she had the opportunity to come into contact with the university's long-standing jewelry program, which led her to develop an appreciation and love for contemporary jewelry. At the same time, her own special family background and life experiences naturally led her to pay close attention to the contemporary shift in traditional craftsmanship, the exchange of Eastern and Western craftsmanship, and the development of contemporary Chinese craftsmanship. She is committed to promoting the development of contemporary jewelry in China.

In this VIP dialogue session, Joanna Hardy carefully selected 8 pieces of artwork from hundreds of pieces of art jewelry on display, and Daniella invited the two guests to introduce and discuss their feelings about these selected pieces. Joanna mentioned that she loves contemporary jewelry because it sparks conversations while being worn. Veronika Fabian's piece, "Meet Me Halfway," is a necklace made from the neck of a wine bottle, with a wine screw cap as its clasp. Rachael Colley's jewelry explores the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials such as citrus peels, emitting a citrus scent when worn. Joo Hyung Park's brooch showcases the charming allure of the lacquer craft.

Sally Li introduced to the audience in detail the jewelry works of three artists, Ning Xiaoli, Zhang Fan, and Wu Mian, including the artists' creative ideas and their own feelings about the works.

Ning Xiaoli interprets the malleability of materials in her works with a unique female aesthetic, inspiring the soft and graceful side of two materials with certain hardness, ceramics and silver. Fragile ceramics and delicate flowers become eternal stills in Ning Xiaoli's creations, and the imagery in her works is derived from nature yet transcends it.

Zhang Fan uses the feminine and delicate nature of metal to interpret the beauty of jewelry in her works. In Zhang Fan's pieces, the golden thread traverses through history and modernity, craftsmanship and thoughts, creating a timeless beauty. At the same time, she extends the traditional Chinese fine gold craftsmanship to contemporary jewelry creation. Her work "Yan Yi" is made using fine gold weaving techniques and is gilded to produce a gradient effect of gold and silver. The golden thread gradually changes in shades like ink wash, creating a lively and shimmering effect.

Wu Mian sees jewelry as a means of expression and often uses it to explore certain themes or ideas. By using jewelry as a language, she is able to express herself in a more appropriate and nuanced manner.

As the dialogue drew to a close, the audience had many exciting questions and feedback for the guests. Some expressed surprise at seeing such a diverse range of contemporary Chinese jewelry art at the exhibition. Prior to this, their impression of Chinese jewelry was still limited to traditional materials such as jade and conventional styles. The works presented at the BR gallery exhibition showcased the unique characteristics and charm of contemporary Chinese jewelry.

Meanwhile, some audience members asked Sally Li to briefly discuss the development trends of contemporary Chinese jewelry. Sally believes that the exploration and thinking of contemporary Chinese jewelry will become increasingly profound and interwoven from two perspectives: first, inheriting and developing China's own cultural traditions; and second, borrowing from Western conceptualism. These two aspects are interdependent, achieving both continuity and diversity. The entire audience responded enthusiastically to Sally's insights.