I would like to see jewelry progress more toward conceptual expressions. Interview with Cong Ma by Klimt02

Tell us about your background. What were your first influences to be creative and become an artist and what has drawn you to contemporary jewelry?
I have been drawing ever since I could pick up a pencil. My inspiration mainly came from my imagination; I naturally needed to express myself on paper. Therefore, I studied traditional Chinese painting as an undergraduate student in Beijing. Over time, I found paintings limiting and began to see the portability of jewelry more as a more intimate way of interacting with art.


How important is networking for you in your professional practice and what are your preferred tools for this?
Networking is essential at certain stages of one's career. During the past covid years, it was great to see many more artists posting their works on Instagram, which is very healthy for the community. Apart from online interactions, I enjoy meeting people naturally from all walks of life, which can give me a different perspective.
 
 
What are your general thoughts on the contemporary jewelry world, (education, market, development...), where do you see chances, and where are dead ends?
The Contemporary jewelry I saw on the market leans toward the design field. However, I would like to see it progress more toward conceptual expressions. There may be a possibility that a new branch of pure conceptual jewelry develops, where wearability gives way to artistic expression, and our relationship with jewelry heightens.
 

Thinking about your career, what role do technology and the digital play in your artistic development & communication?
Any form of technology could be another tool to express my ideas. If a particular technology can be helpful in any stage of my creative process, I have always been eager to adapt it to my needs.


How has your work changed over the past few years?
It is a continuous process of searching and learning experience. For example, it can be dangerous to apply habitual thinking to new experiences in life. As that famous quote by Abraham Maslow says: If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. As creativity is an adventure, I've used the most current subject of interest to influence my works throughout my career, thus keeping a sense of freshness, spontaneity, and even playfulness alive.