At the 96th Academy Awards, when 61-year-old Michelle Yeoh took the stage as the presenter for Best Actress, her vibrant demeanor and the dazzling CINDY CHAO Art Jewel leaf earrings adorning her ears made it impossible to look away.
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As Michelle Yeoh and Jennifer Lawrence handed the Oscar to the newly crowned Best Actress Emma Stone and embraced her in celebration, it was more than just an award presentation; it was a collision and fusion of Eastern and Western cultures. Yeoh also posted on her social media: “Let’s treat this world with love and inclusivity, for that is the true spirit of the Oscars.”
This touching scene invites us to reflect. Many stories in the world share a common logic – find your path, work hard, keep exploring, and shine in your field. It’s not just about stopping at the “Best Actress” station, but about passing the “trophy” to the next generation.
“One who can teach by analogy can then become a teacher.” Masters in various fields are often called “teachers” because while polishing themselves, they never forget their responsibility to illuminate the future. Jewelry artist Cindy Chao has recently begun her new story of “those who can, teach.”
Invited by La Haute Ecole de Joaillerie, the world’s top institute for high jewelry, Cindy Chao will start serving as a guest instructor for the master class from September 2023, imparting her signature wax sculpting technique to students.
As the first Asian master class guest professor in the nearly 160-year history of this top global jewelry school, she brings not only exquisite techniques but also a cross-cultural aesthetic vision, a continuation of artistic legacy, and a spirit of exploration in defining the culture of art jewelry.
France, as the birthplace of high jewelry, has maintained its authority in the art of jewelry for centuries. It not only leads in artistic achievements and craftsmanship but also holds an unparalleled position in the field of jewelry art history, with global influence.
Founded in 1867, La Haute Ecole de Joaillerie in Paris was established as a “school for the industry,” shouldering the important mission of preserving top-tier craftsmanship and nurturing new talents for the industry. Since its inception, the school has been supplying elite professionals to numerous high jewelry brands on Place Vendôme in Paris.
Each year, over 600 highly skilled graduates in the jewelry field emerge from this institution, with most finding employment in renowned high jewelry brands.
The school’s birth coincided with Napoleon III’s reign. Since the 18th century, European royalty’s love for jewelry and the diversity of styles have continually pushed jewelers to evolve their crafting techniques.
The traditional wax sculpting technique, which flourished during the Napoleonic era, gradually became limited in its transmission due to its extremely high demands on craftsmanship and artistic aesthetics. As a result, artists mastering wax sculpting became increasingly rare.
Cindy Chao, as one of the few jewelry artists capable of personally executing wax sculpting, has consistently used this technique as the starting point for her creations. Her jewelry pieces, characterized by “architectural sense, sculptural quality, and vitality,” have been collected by three major international museums and have won numerous awards at top global art fairs.
2018 Black Label Masterpiece Series
Ruby Peony Brooch
La Haute Ecole de Joaillerie deeply admires and is impressed by Cindy Chao’s pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship and her continuous exploration in the artistic realm. They value not only her talent and proficiency in this traditional craft but also her contemporary artistic aesthetic vision and innovative spirit that breaks through constraints. The school hopes that through her teaching, this unique jewelry craftsmanship can be passed down.
To this end, La Haute Ecole de Joaillerie has made an exception by inviting Cindy Chao as a guest instructor to pass on her exquisite wax sculpting technique. She thus becomes the first Asian master class guest instructor in the school’s nearly 160-year history. This is of great significance not only to the school but also to the entire French society, and has even attracted attention from the global art and culture community.
This collaboration is of profound significance, indicating that this top jewelry institution is focusing on nurturing future industry talents. By partnering with outstanding professionals like Cindy Chao, they aim to lead the integration and innovation of Eastern and Western art, promote the fusion and inheritance of diverse world cultures, and cultivate emerging forces that symbolize the future, while also bringing new inspiration for the industry’s inheritance and breakthrough.
The project commenced in September 2023, with La Haute Ecole de Joaillerie and Cindy Chao carefully selecting 28 exceptional students. They chose the 1606 oil painting “The Death of the Virgin” by renowned Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio as the inspiration for their creation. Using wax sculpting as the medium, they engaged in a dialogue with classic art that transcends time and space.
“The Death of the Virgin,” an oil painting created in 1606 by Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Since the Renaissance, Caravaggio’s artistic style and his spirit of exploring beauty and truth have profoundly influenced subsequent artistic development. Cindy Chao, with her contemporary creative thinking and fresh perspective, engages in a special form of dialogue with Caravaggio’s work through different materials.
This not only continues Caravaggio’s artistic pursuit but also, through Western craftsmanship techniques inherited and combined with Eastern philosophy and freehand spirit, inspires students to break free from the figurative, initiating creations that incorporate imagination and transcend reality with natural inspiration.
At the project’s outset, Cindy and the students visited the Tuileries Garden to observe architecture and plants, experiencing the similarities and differences between human-made and natural beauty, and perceiving the vitality inherent in lines and structures. They studied the naturalistic style in Caravaggio’s painting, which combines precise observation, vivid painting techniques, and dramatic chiaroscuro.
Under Cindy’s personal guidance, combining the style and origins of the original work, they engaged in multidimensional creative thinking and meticulous practical training. They broke through the boundaries of various art forms, combining abstract and figurative, classical and contemporary. Finally, under Cindy’s guidance, the students completed the work after nearly six months of systematic learning.
The work was fully presented to the public at the Louvre exhibition opening on February 2, 2024, truly bridging the gap of space and time to achieve an artistic dialogue with the master. It showcased the influence of historical artistic masterpieces on the present and demonstrated more possibilities for contemporary artistic expression, bringing groundbreaking aesthetic inspiration to the current field of jewelry art.
The essence of art lies in the expression of human spirit, and the unique thinking and creativity of individuals are undoubtedly central to the field of artistic expression. Growing up in an artistic family, Cindy Chao possesses both the deep-rooted influence of her family’s artistic heritage and a global aesthetic vision that draws from both Eastern and Western traditions.
Her jewelry art creations have consistently inherited the architectural thinking of her architect grandfather and the sculptural craftsmanship of her sculptor father. The cultural force she has accumulated continues to influence not only her own creations but also many other aspects, constantly exporting artistic influence and writing new chapters in the fields of academia, culture, art, and jewelry creation.
In November 2021, Cindy Chao was awarded the “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French Minister of Culture in Paris, in recognition of her contributions to the inheritance and innovation of jewelry craftsmanship.
European media praised Cindy Chao as “a master who unveils a new page in jewelry art,” hailing that “following Art Nouveau and Contemporary Art, Cindy Chao is ushering in a new era of Nouveau Art Nouveau.”
This special invitation from La Haute Ecole de Joaillerie in Paris, along with the public exhibition of her guided work at the Louvre, undoubtedly further validates Cindy Chao’s talent and achievements in the field of artistic jewelry creation.
During the course, Chao spent time with the students day and night, engaging in a process of mutual learning and teaching. She shared her experiences wholeheartedly and expressed high hopes for the students’ future, saying, “Every creator full of courage and vision will become a force influencing the era. I hope that you, who represent the future, will stay true to your original aspirations and move forward bravely.”
In 2024, CINDY CHAO The Art Jewel will celebrate its 20th anniversary, a significant milestone for the brand. Cindy Chao, with her forward-thinking mindset of “beginning with the end in mind,” continues to examine the present through the lens of the future.
She creates jewelry with the mission of making “antiques of the future,” dedicating more energy to influencing, nurturing, and inspiring the next generation of jewelry artists through her accumulated experience. She firmly believes that cultivating new talents in the industry and inspiring the new generation is the key to unlocking infinite possibilities for the future development of the jewelry industry.
Achieving brilliance while sculpting the future. Cindy Chao’s story will welcome more possibilities in the future.
How important is wax sculpting in high-end jewelry making?
Wax sculpting is a crucial step in high-end jewelry production. Just as haute couture fashion requires three-dimensional cutting on a mannequin with continuous adjustments to the semi-finished product, wax sculpting serves to sculpt the desired form through the addition and reduction of wax material.
Through meticulous wax sculpting of every detail, a 3D wax model is ultimately obtained, which then undergoes the lost wax casting method and mold-making process. This method of first creating the metal form using wax sculpture allows the metal to faithfully reproduce the appearance of the wax model. It can compensate for extremely small, three-dimensional details that pure metalwork cannot adequately address, allowing the artist’s vision to be ideally realized.
The 3D wax sculpting process is extremely intricate and expensive, with stringent requirements for craftsmanship. However, for high-end jewelry brands that strive for perfection, it is an indispensable step.
It’s worth noting that the typical workflow for jewelry design often begins with creating 2D flat design drawings. Cindy Chao, however, breaks from tradition by starting her creative process directly with 3D wax sculpting, which is why her works are imbued with such vitality and emotion.
From Masterpiece to Mentor: What Happens When Jewelry Artist Cindy Chao Steps into the Classroom?
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