Chu Winnie Cheung

Clouds are free. Hovering aimlessly, they drift with no set forms, looking down on humans high from the sky. I explore freedom between human 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 of the freely floating clouds. It serves as a reminder, a warning, and a memorial that the voices of the people should not be silenced by grandiose narratives.

At the same time, it reflects on the mysterious and wondrous connection between individuals and the natural world. Having my practice rooted in Chinese land and culture, I draw inspiration particularly from Buddhism and Taoism of grasping the objective and spiritual 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 where 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 to nature that have been destroyed or blocked by modern society.