Wallace Chan: A Chat with the Material Renaissance Man

Description

As an artist, you always want to leave an indelible mark on your field.

Enter jeweller-turned-master artist Wallace Chan, who developed new ways to carve jade called the Wallace Cut, and invented a porcelain named the Wallace Chan Porcelain, a material five times stronger than steel. Alongside his team of 16 craftsmen, the assemble has created some of the most intricate pieces of jewellery ever made, such as sparkling life-sized brooches of butterflies that are adorned with dozens of precious stones.

Many of his pieces fetch tens of millions of US dollars. Commissioned by Hong Kong jewellery giant Chow Tai Fook, and though unsold, the piece called “Heritage in Bloom” — encrusted with 11,551 diamonds — was estimated at US$200 million. His works are held in major museum collections, including the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, while his solo exhibitions have appeared at the Venice Biennale in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2026.

Impressive all the same, Chan returns to Hong Kong to hold a talk titled Vessels of Other Worlds, in which he traces his creative journey and artistic philosophy across materials and scales, from gemstone carving and high jewellery to pioneering innovations in titanium, porcelain, and large-scale sculptures and installations. Chan also reflects on curiosity, experimentation, materiality and craftsmanship, and on how embracing failure has shaped his vision over his five decades as an artist.

On 28 September, the talk will be held from 19:30 to 21:00 and conducted in Cantonese. Free entry; pre-registration required.

Photo: Wallace Chan, Vessels of Other Worlds, Rebirth. Courtesy JJYPHOTO.