Shiwen Qian

Shiwen Qian is a young jewellery artist from China with a BA in Jewellery Design from the China Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, and is currently studying Jewellery and Metal at the Royal College of Art. Her passion for creating comes from her unusual sense of the world. Her projects always start at a moment when she finds a topic fun, and she is keen to experiment with completely different and new materials and techniques. Jewellery is her response to this desire.

First, an explanation of Nushu.

Nushu is a script created in China thousands of years ago when women were confined to harems and were not allowed to work, be educated or even be outside the house: it was a secret script used and transmitted only among women. It is a symbol of female rebellion and a record of female friendship. So what does Nushu represent today, when it is no longer widely used or hidden? For Shiwen, Nushu is now a symbol of female identity and the female voice. A phrase expressed in Nushu highlights the fact that it is spoken by a woman.

Nowadays, aspects of women’s lives in society are the subject of much political discussion. Education, marriage, childbirth, work ...... cosmetics, clothes and even tampons. Although the debate on these issues has intensified, the voices of women are always ignored.

So they have stopped trying to explain themselves to each other and instead just strike an attitude.

When confronted by questions and comments, they simply say, ‘"I wear what I like.’"

And then continue to move forward.