• Junmin transforms traditional coppersmithing techniques into modern works with function
• He combines science with generations of traditional craftsmanship
• His works carry notions of prosperity and good fortune

Junmin Zhu is a fifth-generation coppersmith carrying forward a family legacy. Before pursuing this tradition, he studied chemical engineering and philosophy at university. “Growing up, I heard stories about my family’s legacy with copper, which made the craft an indispensable part of my life,” Junmin recalls. After returning to the material, he trained under his father Bingren Zhu, and gradually came to realise he inherited the craftsmanship from his ancestors. “I would not change the way I came to the craft,” he says. “Combining a scientific education with traditional training with my father gave me tools to innovate. I developed a deep appreciation for the skills, values and warmth passed down through generations of my family.”