Carina Minqiao Huang

Bio

Born in Jiangmen, a city in southern China, Carina Minqiao Huang received her BA in jewellery and objects from the School of Jewellery in Birmingham, England. Intrigued by the human body's intricacies, her artistic focus revolves around organic shapes and textures and with a recent emphasis on the human skin. Motivated to challenge jewellery norms, Carina explores inventive material and unconventional ways of wearing, pushing the boundaries of traditional adornment.

Statement

Deeply connected and inspired by nature and the world around us, my jewellery is emotional, imaginative and innovative. I tell stories through hand-making, such as memorising a sea with organic shapes, capturing the essence of fire with texture, and adoring a dance with traditional techniques.
Inspired by the nature of the human body, I became increasingly interested in applying the modification concept to the human form, particularly focusing on the idea of human’s obsession with altering perceived imperfections. I played with my features to create a fluid identity.

In my most recent collection, I drew inspiration from the stretch marks on my skin. I not only replicated their shape and texture using traditional metalworking techniques but also introduced sunlight as an unconventional tool to create tan marks that mimic natural bodily lines, as part of my work. Resulting in the idea of modifying the body itself, into a piece of jewellery. And therefore transforming the “imperfection”, into an embellishment, intended for adoration. For me, imperfections such as stretch marks symbolize a dynamic identity that reflects the multifaceted nature of modern women.

Combining traditional artisanal techniques with contemporary design, I endeavour to infuse my creations with a sense of whimsy and innovation. I aim to give people the opportunity to celebrate their naturalistic features and retune their perceptions of the relationship between imperfections and human’s capacity to modify them.

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