Huimin Zhang
Goldsmith
London, United Kingdom
Jewellery woven in gold
- Huimin fuses ancient goldsmithing traditions with her own innovative experimentations
- A QEST Scholar, she developed her practice with master goldsmith Giovanni Corvaja
- She invented her own 22-carat gold solder and wire-drawing machine
Huimin Zhang began collecting Chinese filigree works from the Ming and Qing dynasties in 2009. "I never imagined that one day I would be creating such pieces myself," she says. Born in Hebei, Huimin studied product design at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, worked for Siemens, and then spent seven years running a wood and ceramics studio. "In my late thirties, I asked myself: why were skilled craftspeople using ancient techniques to produce traditional styles that fewer people wanted?" she recalls. Huimin travelled to museums worldwide, comparing Indian, Russian and Chinese goldsmithing techniques to combine their unique strengths. Since relocating to London and completing her MA at the Royal College of Art, her goldwork has been acquired by prestigious museums and collectors across Asia and Europe.
Discover her work
INTERVIEW
While I find inspiration in antique goldsmithing, people's tastes have changed over time. After taking a course with a gold filigree master in China, I decided to find another way to ensure that traditional crafts keep evolving into the future. This has become the purpose of my work.
I think with my hands, not my brain. Sometimes I draw a rough sketch on paper, but mostly, I go straight to making a model. My creations are very intricate, so people ask if I use a loupe, even though I do not. I take off my glasses and work on my pieces up close.
I work 12 hours a day, seven days a week. My son tells me, 'you are good enough!' However, I want to push my experiments further and further. I want to ensure that when I die, I leave something behind that inspires people.
To extend my work beyond the realm of jewellery, I plan to make 100 flowers combining gold and titanium wires, jade and enamel, as a tribute to my mother, who loved growing them. When I am creating, I am exploring, so this will take me years. My work is only ready once I am content to put it out into the world.
Huimin Zhang
Goldsmith
London, United Kingdom
ADDRESS
Address upon request, London, United Kingdom
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
English, Chinese
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