Jing Jiang

Jing Jiang is a contemporary jewellery artist based in Shanghai, China.

Born and raised in Italy, with several years of study in China and the UK, she has developed a unique perception of art and life by embracing the diversity of Western and Asian cultures. Her work focuses on exploring unexpected representations of existing materials in combination with traditional mediums and emerging technology.

Prior to the RCA, she studied at Central Saint Martins, University of London, and was a recipient of the Swarovski Foundation Scholarship. Reflecting her achievement of a number of international awards, her work has been exhibited around the world, including at St. Pancras Station and the V&A Museum in London, and her work has been featured in magazines such as Wallpaper*, Crafts, and Label.

 Contemporary design, as Jing perceives it, is the outcome of the creative spirit breaking through the limitations of common sense, challenging what people have traditionally believed, and making unexpected changes to existing things. She would like to break down the boundaries of jewellery design and explore her creative identity by combining an investigation of the potential of existing materials with an engagement with traditional crafts and new technologies.

The whale fall occurs when a whale’s carcass falls onto the ocean floor in the abyssal zones, giving birth to numerous marine lives for decades.

How the fall of a life creates an oasis in the deep sea turns the whale fall into a solemn and stirring rebirth.

Human hair shares a certain similarity.

Fallen hair from the human body is presumed to be associated with dirt, disorder and distastefulness. But when it is rigorously aligned in perfect order and refined into wearable jewellery, the accumulated mess is collated into a pleasing stability.

From dark to light, ageing frustration is meanwhile represented through the gradual change in the colour of hair. The fragility of the material is also balanced with the steady metal support, endowing hair with preciousness and an intrinsic value.

In the end, loaded with memories and emotions, hair is returned to the human body as an intimate companion and regains its life in the form of jewellery.

Jing Jiang

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Royal College of Art