Fan Zhang: A Contemporary Take on the Traditional

Fan Zhang’s artistry gracefully flows through traditional Chinese technique and style to an elegant and subtly avant-garde style all her own in contemporary Chinese jewelry design.

Her versatile pieces are worn as brooches, ear adornment and can even be draped from her to neck.

Painting and tradition are seen in all aspects of her processes.

As a child, Zhang studied painting at the Beijing Youth Palace, and spent much time drawing in the ancient and renowned Forbidden City. The textures and beauty of the Ancient Palace were inspirations in her continued study.

Additionally, her inspiration comes from traditional Chinese poetry and ancient gardens, and the pleasant harmony that can be observed when people and nature as well as wind, spirit and gesture are in harmony. In this, she transforms the wearer to an element of visual poetry.

Zhang blends gold with bronze to allow the elasticity and durability needed to create the fluidity which characterizes her shaped mesh pieces that are then molded to the contours of the body. Her tie-dye-esque method of creating different color hues on the mesh gives an allusion to ancient Chinese ink-wash paintings. She does this by melding with silver during the plating process creating these beautiful visual impacts.

 

Some of Zhang’s more avant-garde pieces:

All images courtesy of Fan Zhang.