Jewellery & Metal (MA)
Fuqi Zhang
Fuqi Zhang was born in Chongqing, a south-west city of China.
Education:
2013-2017 Bachelor degree of engineering, Industrial Design, Xi'an Jiaotong University
2018-2020 MA, Jewelry and Metal, Royal College of Art
Exhibitions:
2019- <Work In Progress Show> in London. RCA JAM Studio
2019-<Matter-morphosis> in London. Dyson Gallery
2020- <London x Tokyo Jewellery Cultural Exchange Exhibition> in London. Sunny Art Center
2020- <China x The United Kingdom x South Korea Metal Craft & Jewellery Cultural Exchange Exhibition> in Beijing. No Space Gallery
Contact
Before becoming an artist, I had been studying science and engineering-related subjects. I have always been very concerned about basic scientific theories about the nature of the world. As I began paying attention to the topic of "time" I found that it is wonderful and full of possibilities. I have been approaching the idea of time from make angles: rationally, theoretically, emotionally and expressively. The philosophical and scientific approaches about the truth of time are currently leading me into an area where time is very chaotic, purely subjective and human-constructed.
My work sits on the border of fine art and craft objects. They embody my thinking and the time invested in making. Some of them are installations, some are wearable, and some are mini sculptures. I hope not to be limited by categories of arts.
Myth
Caveman's Univers
Caveman's Univers
Caveman's Univers
This work is an installation. It is inspired by the reading of Conjectures and refutations: the growth of scientific knowledge. The author mentioned that the irrational number conflicts with the current theory of the quantized universe. In a flash, I was attracted to this idea. Mathematics and quantum physics are the closest I feel one can come to the truth of the world, but they have contradictions in certain places. This is especially true when irrational numbers seem to be very common, such as√2. Surprisingly the isosceles right triangles that I’ve known since elementary school probably do not exist in the space-time we are in.
This may relate to Plato's ideal world as an abstract world where isosceles right triangles can exist.
This may imply that there is some kind of "non-existence" between the particles of space or time.
This may imply that although an isosceles right triangle exists, human observation is too limited by granulation to find them.
. . . .
In this very basic shape, there are many philosophical and scientific thoughts, and there is a huge mystery unbeknownst to most people.
My mediums are embroidery and fabric for this work. I feel that embroidery is a technology that is considered to be "female labour", while technology, physics, and mathematics are still very male dominated areas, at least in the culture of my previous life. I hope that using embroidery will add a layer of my female identity to the background of this work.
This may relate to Plato's ideal world as an abstract world where isosceles right triangles can exist.
This may imply that there is some kind of "non-existence" between the particles of space or time.
This may imply that although an isosceles right triangle exists, human observation is too limited by granulation to find them.
. . . .
In this very basic shape, there are many philosophical and scientific thoughts, and there is a huge mystery unbeknownst to most people.
My mediums are embroidery and fabric for this work. I feel that embroidery is a technology that is considered to be "female labour", while technology, physics, and mathematics are still very male dominated areas, at least in the culture of my previous life. I hope that using embroidery will add a layer of my female identity to the background of this work.
Medium:
Cotton fabric, Sterling Silver, ThreadSize:
1500*3000mm
Diary 18/02/2019
The Sitting Man
The Lying Man
The Lying Man
I Am Waiting
In this project, I want to present private time experience. I have had sudden panic attacks for more than ten years due to a hormonal disorder. They can occur once a year, or multiple times within a week – they are unpredictable. In these short periods, time is the most critical factor. Only when time passes will everything return to normal. In these episodes, I experienced stillness that was filled with restless anxiety, and time became extremely obvious while waiting.
This series of works depicts the process of me holding the ice hand (a life cast of my own hand) and waiting for it to melt, and two static human figures in quiet waiting positions. The hands are highlighted in this series because the sensory experience of hands is very obvious during the panic attacks, and as an artist, my hands are the most important parts of my body. I extended the theory of relativity that characterizes time as being chaotic, private and constantly changing, to its complete opposite: the classic Newtonian space-time, "Absolute, universal and mathematic".
This series of works depicts the process of me holding the ice hand (a life cast of my own hand) and waiting for it to melt, and two static human figures in quiet waiting positions. The hands are highlighted in this series because the sensory experience of hands is very obvious during the panic attacks, and as an artist, my hands are the most important parts of my body. I extended the theory of relativity that characterizes time as being chaotic, private and constantly changing, to its complete opposite: the classic Newtonian space-time, "Absolute, universal and mathematic".
Medium:
Ice, sterling silverSize:
The Sitting Man: 85*30*45mm, The Lying Man: 25*45*110mm, I Am Waiting: 2 hours
Fiction
A measurement of your time bubble
A measurement of your time bubble
A measurement of your time bubble
This is a wearable piece. The inspiration for this work comes from the book “The Order Of Time” by Rovelli, C. The chapter 1.3 "the end of the present" asserts there is no actual moment of "now" that can be shared universally in science. Due to the relativistic effect, time is affected by the gravity potential and velocity, so present-ness only makes sense for a single reference system itself. Philosophically speaking, it is likely that "now" cannot even exist in a single reference system, unless it can be infinitely small, otherwise, any time period may contain "past" or "future".
Taking this as inspiration, I made this work, “A measurement of Your Time Bubble”. Its function is similar to a tape measure. It transforms the spatial distance into time of "present error". It is not for a distance in the scale of light-years, but for the scenario when we are in the same room, and the moment we share has an error in nanoseconds.
Due to the influence of some sci-fi novels and animations, this work was designed as a product in the world of science fiction. Perhaps the accuracy of time is very important there. I also believe that 3D printing will become the main method of production for products in the future, which is why it features in this work.
Taking this as inspiration, I made this work, “A measurement of Your Time Bubble”. Its function is similar to a tape measure. It transforms the spatial distance into time of "present error". It is not for a distance in the scale of light-years, but for the scenario when we are in the same room, and the moment we share has an error in nanoseconds.
Due to the influence of some sci-fi novels and animations, this work was designed as a product in the world of science fiction. Perhaps the accuracy of time is very important there. I also believe that 3D printing will become the main method of production for products in the future, which is why it features in this work.
Medium:
3D print resin, spay paintSize:
100*140*700mm
Confession
Savings
This work is an installation built from my 3D doodle pen drawings of spirals. I draw a spiral every minute, and then I want to cast them into silver coins. Due to the impact of the epidemic, this work is not complete.
This work explores the cultural influence on people’s idea of time. Time is money, many people say. In this work, I reflected on the influence of this kind of culture. I always want efficiency, and I don’t want to “waste” time. I brush my teeth while reading emails in the morning.
In middle school, I learned to eat with my left hand and do homework with my right hand.
However, the half-hour I am reluctant to spend on making a good dinner will pass when I
am in confusion about what to do. Being stingy with time brings anxiety, I think not only to me
but to many people.
In this project, I use these one-minute processes to practice my awareness of the passing time.
This process is similar to a meditation process. Unlike a real coin where every piece has the
same value, I can see from the coins I made that every minute is different.
This work explores the cultural influence on people’s idea of time. Time is money, many people say. In this work, I reflected on the influence of this kind of culture. I always want efficiency, and I don’t want to “waste” time. I brush my teeth while reading emails in the morning.
In middle school, I learned to eat with my left hand and do homework with my right hand.
However, the half-hour I am reluctant to spend on making a good dinner will pass when I
am in confusion about what to do. Being stingy with time brings anxiety, I think not only to me
but to many people.
In this project, I use these one-minute processes to practice my awareness of the passing time.
This process is similar to a meditation process. Unlike a real coin where every piece has the
same value, I can see from the coins I made that every minute is different.
Medium:
PLA, SilverSize:
each coin approximatly 1*15*15mm
Notes
Untitled
Many thinkers have discussed the nature of time. I think there isn’t an objective existence of time, instead, it is a way of organizing the external information we get and is a construction of human cognitive functions. Therefore, I believe time is very subjective, chaotic and confusing.
In this project containing two objects, I tried to express this chaotic texture of time with some intuitive, random and organic lines and shapes.
In this project containing two objects, I tried to express this chaotic texture of time with some intuitive, random and organic lines and shapes.