About
Zihan Yang is a contemporary jewelry artist who combines traditional metal with new techniques that focuses on the dedication to skilled craftsmanship by using sterling silver and 18k yellow gold. Yang's design challenges the organic structures and geometric forms of jewelry creation. Meanwhile, the process of making echoes the process of self-examination. Throughout the creation process, Yang talks with her self-consciousness aim to create signs through a silent language, which consists of the repetition of many small components to express the beauty of the balance of human nature to be more dynamic and unique.
Jewelry is a medium that leads her on the path to find who she is.
By building different organic forms and geometric structures using repeated small elements, Yang talks with her self-consciousness. Her work is driven by personal psychology and a fascination with the subconscious. Yang focuses on personal reflections and definitions of the darkness of human nature through traditional formal elements of jewelry. For her, the beauty of being human is not only facing the dark side of her inner world but more importantly how to bravely restrain and lock this darkness in the abyss. She wants her pieces to become a bridge for audiences to begin the process of self-reflection in order to face their fear of primal human nature.
Education
-2016-2019 M.F.A. in Jewelry, Savannah College of Art and Design(SCAD), Savannah, United States
-2009-2013 B.A. in Industrial Design, Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU), Xi’an, China
Honors
-2020 Preziosa Young Award, One of the Seven Winners, Le Arti Orafe, Florence, Italy
-2019 Enjoia’t Awards, Student Final List, A-FAD Association, Barcelona, Spain
-2019 13rd Annual IDA Awards, Bronze Prize, Accessory/Jewelry Student Category, Los Angeles, United States
-2018 12th Annual IDA Awards, Silver Place, Accessory/Jewelry Student Category, Los Angeles, United States
-2018 Women's Jewelry Association Scholarship, New York, United States
-2018 SCAD Jewelry Department Endowed Scholarship, Savannah, United States
Solo Exhibitions
-2019 Abysm, Gallery of Sulfur Studios, Savannah, United States
Group Exhibitions
-2020 PREZIOSA YOUNG Award Showcase at Inhorgenta Munich 2020, Messe München, Munich, Germany
-2020 Growth & Evolution International Jewellery Exhibition, OSD Design Center, Kunming, China
-2019 SCAD Jewelry Pop-up, NYC Jewelry Week, Industry West, New York City, United States
-2019 Enjoia’t Awards 2019, Disseny Hub Barcelona, Spain
-2019 JOYA Barcelona Art Jewellry & Objects, Disseny Hub Barcelona, Spain
-2019 Earring Galore Exhibition, Heidi Lowe Gallery, Rehoboth Beach, United States
SNAG Chicago (Elephant Room Gallery, May) / NYC Jewelry Week( November)
-2019 The 43rd Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia,
United States
-2019 The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show, National Building Museum, Washington DC, United States
-2019 American Craft Show, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, United States
-2018 The 42nd Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia,
United States
-2018 Smithsonian Craft2Wear Show, National Building Museum, Washington DC, United States
-2018 Breaking Through, Gallery of Sulfur Studio, Savannah, United States
-2018 Piece by Pieces, Gallery of Fahm Hall, Savannah, United States
-2017 International Art & Design Exhibition: Makers Movement in 21th Century, Seoul ,South Korea
Activities
-2017-Present Member of The Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG), United States
-2019-Present Member of Klimt02, Barcelona, Spain
-2019-Present Member of Ethical Metalsmiths Student, United States
-2018-2019 Member of The Women’s Jewelry Association, United States
Professional Positions
-2017-2019 Jewelry Shop Monitor, SCAD Jewelry Department, Savannah, United States
-2018 Bench Jeweler Internship, Barbara Heinrich Studio, Pittsford, United States
-2018 Jewelry Designer, Zale’s, Collaborative Design Project Zale’s X SCAD , Savannah, United States
-2017 Teaching Assistant, SCAD Jewelry Department, Savannah, United States
-2012 Design Internship, COLLECTIONS Magazine, Xi’an, China