Junhui Chen’s work focuses on a contemporary jewellery practice, hovering between organic and narrative jewellery. The two pieces shown reflect the way these themes are present in Chen’s practice. 

‘Lotus Pearl Powder Ring’ is a functional lotus ring made in honour of Zhuji, Chen’s hometown. Zhuji is the most famous pearl city in China and is the home of Xi Shi, one of the four great beauties of ancient China. The ring’s rotary function represents the spirit of Xi Shi having an eternal presence in the world. The piece also acts as a container for pearl powder which is used to let people carry a piece of their hometown with them. 

‘Mourning Bone Necklace’ is inspired by the grisly 2016 news story in which a Russian woman murdered her husband and fed his remains to her dog. Chen made this work out of cattle bones to represent the bones left after the dog has consumed the remains, with the lace flowers referencing the ribbon on the dog’s saliva towel. The piece aims to immortalise the husband’s story, paying tribute and sympathy to his death. 

Through these pieces, Chen exchanges different cultural contents for a global audience at the Hong Kong Design Institute.