Angel
New Member
By becoming the first Asian contemporary jewelry artist to hold solo shows at the Gemstone Museum in Germany and the Capital Museum in Beijing, and also to exhibit his work at the Paris Biennale des Antiquaires and TEFAF Maastricht, the most prestigious fine art, antiques, design and jewelry fairs in the world, Hong Kong master sculptor and jeweler Wallace Chan has proven that he has what it takes to become a serious player in the world of haute joaillerie. What started as a gemstone workshop in 1974 has now become a world-class brand sought after by art collectors, royalty, stage and screen stars, leading auction houses, museums and galleries.
Butterfly Nebula brooch set with yellow diamonds, diamonds, tsavorite garnets, pink sapphires, amethysts, rubies and titaniumPhoto courtesy of Wallace Chan
The Wallace Chan name has always been closely associated with ground-breaking inventions: from the Wallace Cut, a carving technique combining cameo, intaglio and gem-faceting, and patented jade technology to his revolutionary mastery of titanium in jewelry-making, which exploits the lightness and tensile strength of the metal, made possible by his explorations in perfecting casting, melting and inlaying techniques. Most recently, he pioneered a type of porcelain dubbed “The Wallace Chan Porcelain”, which is five times stronger than steel and can be fashioned in a wide range of colors and shapes, having begun collecting porcelain artifacts in his 20s and started experimenting since 2011 on a material that has strong links with his origins.
A New Generation ring featuring The Wallace Chan Porcelain, sapphires, aquamarines, diamonds and titaniumPhoto courtesy of Wallace Chan
Chan’s mystical, sculptural works merging artistry with high technology are deeply rooted in Chinese culture and philosophy and present strong links to nature. With each piece crafted to narrate a unique story or illustrate a philosophical thought, the spiritual materializes into dramatic jewelry. He says, “To me, jewelry is an art form. Ornamentation means little unless it amalgamates with the human body. I want my creations to trigger a provocative dialogue between form and function, between the individual and the universe, and between the past and the future. Many of my pieces also explore the eternal interdependence of life and death.” Some pieces may take up to three or four years to perfect, the greatest challenge being sourcing the right gemstones. His one-off jewels will be on display at the upcoming TEFAF Maastricht taking place from March 16-24, 2019. Among the highlights is a masterpiece entitled The Wheel of Time based on the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.
The Wheel of Time necklace set with South Sea pearls (152.12 ct), yellow diamonds (6.01 ct), sapphires, diamonds and titaniumPhoto courtesy of Wallace Chan
Tell me about your beginnings.
I began as a sculptor. When I was young, ivory sculpting was a well-developed and flourishing business in Hong Kong. I also worked on jade, coral, malachite, emeralds and the like. But as you know, there is no light in either ivory or wood. Thus, I turned to crystal, with which I invented the Wallace Cut in 1987. I wanted more colors for my creations, and gemstones became the inevitable and ultimate choice. I went into jewelry convinced that it ought to be a sculpture in itself, smaller in size and clothed in gemstones and diamonds.
Eyes of Infinity parure of necklace, ring and two brooches made from The Wallace (cat’s-eye alexandrite of 45.51 carats), rubies, demantoids, yellow sapphires, diamonds and fancy colored diamondsPhoto courtesy of Wallace Chan
Tell me about your Chinese heritage and your youth spent mastering Eastern sculpture, and how this influences the jewelry you create.
Chinese culture is what I call my “spiritual hometown”. For example, one of my favorite Chinese legends, the Butterfly Lovers, inspired me to create a butterfly series, Fluttery, which captures the beauty and romance of butterflies. I was enveloped and nurtured by traditional Chinese culture from very young, when I started as a sculpture’s apprentice at the age of 13, and have drawn much inspiration from traditional Chinese art. I was exposed to the full array of Chinese handicrafts and arts, and was thoroughly grounded in the Oriental art of curvature and roundedness. I realized that, as a Chinese artist, I should confront the West, create and display more artworks related to Chinese culture, thus I started to make some Buddhist sculptures. Buddhist and Taoist teachings are the principles and catalysts for my art. In the Diamond Sutra, there is a famous dharma saying that “we should not dwell in our own hearts”, meaning we should not be so concerned about “where”, “what” and all the trappings of the world; enlightenment and illumination of the heart will come naturally. As a fine jewelry designer, this is the kind of spiritual paradigm that underlines my artistic creativity.
Master jeweler Wallace ChanPhoto courtesy of Wallace Chan
Describe your design approach.
I always communicate with gemstones if I can, for they inspire me and I strive to preserve and unveil their natural beauty through my creations, because it is important not to waste such divine gifts from Mother Nature. Besides that, as many of the pieces are tailor-made for our clients, it is important for them to express the aura of their wearers. Thus, I also communicate with my clients to have a better understanding of their personalities. I meditate before I create. My muse is from a transcendental zone that comes into being every time I have achieved oneness with the universe through meditation. When designing a jewelry work, if one can erase oneself and enter into a dialogue with the stone one holds in one’s hands, creativity will come naturally.
Celestial Beauty brooch showing off Wallace Chan’s prowess in titanium jewelryPhoto courtesy of Wallace Chan
How would you describe your vision of beauty?
I believe that beauty is in all living things. It is understandable that we all agree that flowers and butterflies are beautiful, but what about cicadas and scorpions? I enjoy digging into the most neglected forms of beauty and unveiling their essence in true light.
Horace sculpture featuring the Wallace Cut, a carving technique that creates an illusion in transparent materials by combining medieval cameo and intaglio into three-dimensional engravingPhoto courtesy of Wallace Chan
What do you hope to achieve through your jewelry at the end of the day?
I create because I have stories to tell. Instead of creating jewelry that features a lot of expensive stones set in an appealing way, I enjoy giving form to dramatic pieces and making jewelry that never ceases to amaze the beholders with newly-discovered elements, different sensations and delightful montage effects. I strive to create jewelry pieces that can be passed on to generations, those that reflect the era’s spirit and are embedded with historical value.
Thank you
https://www.forbes.com/sites/yjeanmundelsalle/2019/03/08/hong-kong-master-jeweler-wallace-chan-exhibits-his-wearable-sculptures-at-the-tefaf-maastricht/