Jie Ji 冀 婕 is a jewellery artist and digital artist from China who specializes in creating captivating jewellery art using digital technology.
Her artistic vision subtly weaves elements from the virtual realm into her creations, resulting in a harmonious convergence of futuristic, mechanical, and natural aesthetics. By subtly interweaving power and beauty in her jewellery designs, she artfully portrays the vitality and strength of women.
The One-Sided Image of Women:
Jie Ji begins her research from the one-sided portrayal of women in myths and folk tales over the past few centuries. Women are portrayed with negative characteristics such as submissiveness and weakness.These traits covertly created societal expectations under male-dominated rule, where women were expected to conform to altruistic standards. It served as a disciplinary mechanism employed by male-dominated societies to keep women in check. She believes that myths are powerful tools of political control and reflections of societal dynamics,and all the limitations women face can be glimpsed from myths and folk tales.
Stigmatized Communities:
With the deconstruction of matrilineal clans and primitive reproductive worship, the roles and stories of primordial goddesses have been gradually subverted by later generations. Throughout history, women have been stigmatized and labeled as witches due to their knowledge and power. These women, by challenging authority, have been unjustly branded as "evil" or rebellious. She keenly experienced the painful fate of women being constrained under patriarchal domination.
Her Works ( Jewels, Candle Holders and Animation ) :
Jie Ji delves into the marginalized and often demonized female figures in mythology, gaining a deep understanding of their complexities. Her works provide a powerful visual narrative that celebrates the multifaceted nature of women, they draw inspiration from the suffering women depicted in Chinese, Greek, and Japanese mythology.
She unveils the underlying narratives that stigmatize and suppress women's aspirations and desires in various cultures. Through this series of artworks, she captures traces of women enduring hardships, showcasing their unwavering determination and resilience in adversity. Her project aim to celebrate the resilience of women , embrace the ambition, strength, and diverse aspects of femininity.
This animation is composed of two chapters.
The first chapter derives from the voices of women in reality, while the second chapter is sourced from the monologue of Medea in the renowned Greek tragedy "Medea" by Euripides.
This audiovisual piece serves the purpose of conveying immersive visual language, delivering the voices of women and recounting their lament as they are perceived as secondary beings and tools of reproduction.
3D, Music, Animation: Jie Ji
Italian Monologue: Zhengxin Li
Tutor: Anna Nazo
This artwork is derived from the tragedy "Medea" by Euripides.
The witch Medea left her homeland to help Jason obtain the Golden Fleece. After giving birth to two children, Jason betrayed her and decided to marry someone elseof higher status. Medea was overcome with grief and using her mighty power exacted revenge upon her faithless husband and enemies. In some versions, she burned her enemies to death with flames, while in other versions, she poisoned her enemies to death with toxic herbs.
Medea harbored deep resentment towards a society that condoned male infidelity and betrayal. She took her own stand against the various injustices women faced under a male-dominated society. Saffron and belladonna ......The magical herbs possessing enchanting powers, served as the source of her strength, and the hardships she endured and the flesh of her enemies made her even more formidable. This candle holder represents the embodiment of Medea's power and serves as a display of the inner strength of women.
These artworks are inspired by Izanami, the great mother goddess who gave birth to Japan.
Izanami died during childbirth. Desperate to be reunited with his wife, Izanami's husband journeyed into the underworld. Using the comb as a torch, he glimpsed Izanami's decaying face in the dim underworld and became terrified. He broke their vows and fled from her, leaving her imprisoned in the land of filth. As a result, Izanami, once a primordial goddess of fertility, was deprived of her ability to give birth to the next generation of gods.
She was deprived of her inherent ability as a female deity to give birth and became a monstrous figure associated with impurity. Her story is a reflection of the experiences of women in real life. Societies exert enormous pressure on women's appearance , while simultaneously depriving them of the right to voluntary childbirth.
The comb plays a significant role in the myth of Izanami . In Eastern culture, combs also carry strong feminine essence and are believed to absorb the user's emotions. Fragile butterflies are seen as messengers carrying souls to the underworld. These artworks are visualization of women's lack of control over their reproductive fate and their freedom. They also symbolize the pathological shackles that women possess and the painful imprint they carry.
This candle holder is also inspired by the mythology of Izanami.
Izanami died during childbirth. Desperate to be reunited with his wife, Izanami's husband journeyed into the underworld. Using the comb as a torch, he glimpsed Izanami's decaying face in the dim underworld and became terrified.
It is difficult to say what emotions posthumous Izanami had towards the familiar light. The flame burning in the torch in the story is like a measuring stick. Her husband seems to have forgotten that she died from difficult childbirth and still demands that posthumous Izanami maintain her beauty according to the standards of the living.
This burning measuring stick harshly dictates the expectations for women today. The painful changes that childbirth brings to women seem to be overlooked by everyone. Maintaining beauty has become a character trait imposed on women by society.This candle holder is the visualization of women's lack of control over their reproductive fate and their freedom. It also symbolizes the pathological shackles that women possess and the painful imprint they carry.
In ancient China, foxes were seen as symbols of power and prosperity due to reproductive worship.
From the Han Dynasty onwards, foxes and women were widely depicted as harmful and seductive figures for political reasons, creating a negative association between their reputation and destiny. Over time, the image of foxes shifted from divine creatures to demonic fairy and cunning being . The sensuality associated with foxes and female figures also increased with the passage of time. History of stigmatization has resulted in ongoing gender discrimination against modern Chinese women.
One of the work takes the form of a sacred candle-holder , inspired by Chinese bronzeware from the era of fertility worship .The hair crown was an accessory that could be worn by both men and women in ancient China. It was also given a symbolic meaning of the high moral character of the wearer. They aim to reject the defamation that male-dominated society has imposed on foxes and women and revive the original reverence people had for these mythical creatures, recognizing their sacredness.
