Zhang Xueze has explored the potential contemporary jewellery design has to enable people to understand the impact of disinformation and misinformation on society, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Whether or not one is infected, coronavirus is a real threat to human life. Yet protecting the public necessitates stricter measures than clinical virus controls. Multiple disinformation and misinformation has impacted on efforts to stem the spread of the virus and undermined collective efforts. Zhang’s ‘altered‘ presents a disinformation ‘Closely Monitoring Coronavirus/COVID-19 poster’ from the New Zealand Government alongside a ring and bracelet with printed images. By wearing the correct information jewellery the misleading message can be physically repaired and the public encouraged to correct the ‘fake’ information in the media. Using a variety of design techniques she has created a series of art installations related to the infographic, jewellery and body movement through photograph and film expressions. Three motifs come to symbolise transmuted, unreliable information: ‘altered’, ‘cover’ and ‘deleted’ with the graphic, three-dimensional shaping of these words, guiding her performed dialogue between body, poster/symbol and daily life.

Zhang is an award winning Jewellery Designer, Researcher-Designer, Silversmith and Goldsmith.