

Xiaowei Hua
2021, 115x60x5 mm, Acrylic, Sterling Silver, Pin, photo credit to Xiaowei Hua
“My jewelry deals with identity under the pressure and expectation of society. The idea originated from my own identity crisis after I moved to Canada: I realized that societal standards and expectations in China were unnatural and absurd. The conflict between identity and social standard also exists in Canada and America, although not as severely as in China. My pieces are expanding from this personal aspect to a general and broader perspective.
Using clean and geometrical designs in black and white throughout my pieces underlines my minimal style.
‘Personal Label’
People always judge others by age, appearance, money spending, class, and other standards. The fact is if one does not fulfill the societal expectations, they will be judged and viewed negatively (below the average). Therefore, many people are forced to change themselves in order to
fit in the way that society believes and acts. This brooch conveys the idea that ‘Do Not Let Others Label You’. Your value depends on your own choices. Keep Real. There is no need to change yourself for other people. Sliding the movable bars to determine your values. Inspired by food ingredient label.”

Xiaowei Hua was born in Nanjing, China. Then she moved to New York, United States to study. She graduated from Pratt Institute with a B.F.A. degree in Jewelry Design in 2020. Her style is inspired by minimalism and contemporary fine jewelry, paintings and illustrations. She is currently focusing on the conflict between identity and societal standard and seeking to explore the relationship between wearers and artist by creating jewelry with interactions with wearers.