Date of Award
Spring 6-3-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Jewelry and Metalsmithing
First Advisor
Tracy Steepy
Second Advisor
Paola Dematte
Third Advisor
Efharis Alepedis
Abstract
Clouds are free. Hovering aimlessly, they drift with no set forms, looking down on humans high from the sky. As an artist, I explore the freedom between humans and nature, with ‘cloud’ as a carrier, and extend its definition to the perspective of Chinese society and individuals through the format of jewelry.
As both a translator and jeweler, I am acutely aware of the ongoing censorship of language and events in Mainland China. My jewelry documents a diverse range of texts in China that expose the societal constraints imposed on its people, a miserable contrast to the freely floating clouds. My pieces serve as a reminder, a warning, and a memorial that the voices of the people should not be silenced by the grandiose narratives.
At the same time, the cloud reflects on the mysterious and wondrous connection between individuals and the natural world. Through context, materials and formats, I value the distortion of paper and emphasize the detailed aggregation of enamel and engraving. I seek to preserve and celebrate the special ways in which humans connect with nature. While creating pieces that capture the raw and unbridled energy of the natural world, I try to restore the free and wild perceptual channels of humans to nature that have been destroyed or blocked by the modern society.
Recommended Citation
Cheung, Winnie, "Physical Documentation of Censored Incidents Liberates One from the Doubts of Existence." (2023). Masters Theses. 997.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/997
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Comments
View exhibition online: Chu Winnie Cheung, Cloud Chasing