In these works, he intended to reinterpret a historic joining method used for a jade burial suit made during the Han Dynasty in China. Through linking and twisting thin metal wires, all of the small jade parts were united to function as body protection and were a symbolic host for the spirit. Introducing this ancient but innovative method of connection to his work is consistent with his approach of bringing traditional techniques into contemporary life.
Comments from the jurors:
The fabrication of the work is highly detailed, with moments of both exacting precision and unexpected collapse. Cut apart or cobbled together, the seeming fragility of these objects brings to mind a sense of having been mended. Familiar yet strange, these hybrid forms present many curiosities and questions, repeatedly asking me to look again, and creating the desire to interact and investigate further.
–Lynn Batchelder
The objects associate to a multicultural background. Connecting different cultural influences as well as different materials give the pieces an originality and a very special feeling.
–Inger Wästberg
Cao playfully experiments with cross-cultural identity. His intricate constructions cleverly integrate quirky bottle-like vessels into jewelry, showing both great skill and originality.
–Su san Cohn
Find out more about Bifei Cao by reading his interview on AJF, in both English and Chinese.
Art Jewelry Forum (AJF) is a nonprofit organization spreading awareness and increasing appreciation of art jewelry worldwide since 1997. Its diverse community of artists, collectors, critics, educators, galleries, historians, makers, and writers is united by a passion for art jewelry. AJF advocates for art jewelry through an ambitious agenda of education, conversation, and financial support. It commissions critical writing that sets the standard for excellence in the field, and publishes www.artjewelryforum.org, an Internet resource for original content on art jewelry.
