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About the artist
JIAYING XU
Jiaying Xu (b. 1996, Hangzhou, China) is a lacquer artist and cultural relic conservator whose practice is rooted in the technical rigor of traditional restoration and extends into contemporary collectible design. Living and working in Hangzhou, he approaches lacquer as both a historical discipline and a living material language, transforming centuries-old techniques into sculptural forms that resonate within present-day spatial contexts.
As a lecturer in Cultural Relics Conservation and Restoration at Zhejiang Art Vocational Academy, Xu has dedicated over a decade to the study and restoration of ancient artworks. This sustained engagement with historical objects has shaped his sensitivity to structure, proportion and material behavior. Rather than replicating tradition, he reconstructs it through a contemporary lens—using classical elements as a foundation from which new visual narratives emerge.
Through labor-intensive layering, mineral powders and refined surface treatments, Xu builds depth not only physically but conceptually. His works embody restraint and precision, where geometry becomes a vehicle for rhythm and quiet tension. The density of lacquer absorbs and reflects light in subtle gradations, evoking sedimented time and accumulated gesture. In his hands, material carries memory, discipline and a measured sense of transformation.
Grounded in Eastern philosophical thought, Jiaying Xu’s practice seeks to transmit cultural continuity without nostalgia. By integrating traditional craft within a contemporary aesthetic framework, he positions lacquer as a medium of endurance and introspection. His work invites viewers to experience objects not merely as functional forms, but as contemplative presences where time, material and structure converge in refined expression.
