Charting 50 Years of Wallace Chan’s Artistry

The largest-ever exhibition of work by the contemporary Chinese jewelry artist is on show at Shanghai Museum East until October 7.

“Wallace Chan: Half a Century” sees more than 200 of Chan’s bejeweled masterpieces on display. Co-curated by the Shanghai Museum and Danish royal jewelry curator Nina Hald, the exhibition is designed to give an overview of Chan’s oeuvre as an artist and innovator across five decades. Noteable innovations throughout his career include his three-dimensional carving technique The Wallace Cut, patented jadeite luminosity-enhancing technology and the invention of elaborate gemstone settings without metal claws.

Illusionary Carving, Wallace Cut. (Wallace Chan)

Describing the event as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Chan says: “At the age of 70, I am humbled and honored by this 100-day exhibition in my beloved motherland.”

The exhibition groups Chan’s half-century of work into three themes: ‘Engraving & Embodying’, ‘Entangling & Enchanting’, and ‘Enlightening & Empowering.’

The first charts his beginnings as an apprentice gemstone carver in 1973 and includes pieces such as Eye of Time. It also introduces the motif of the cicada — utilized in his famous Stilled Life brooch.

The second section, Entangling & Enchanting, considers Chan as a maturing artist, as he began adapting his techniques and tools to come up with solutions to challenges facing him in the process of realizing his creations.

The development of his work can be seen in his Butterfly Nebula brooch, created in titanium, with intricately carved with cloud patterns. Sparkling diamonds adorn the butterfly bodies in a design that also incorporates carved amethyst and free-cut pink sapphires.

Butterfly Nebula pair of brooches. (Wallace Chan)

Meanwhile, for the Metamorphosis brooch, Chan took a butterfly specimen and created a butterfly with 16 pieces of emerald totaling 52.44 carats, diamonds, rubies, amethysts, citrines, blue topazes, rock crystals, mother-of-pearls, tourmalines, sapphires, yellow diamonds, 18-karat white gold and titanium.

Finally, Entangling & Enchanting showcases pieces such as Hera, in which the Greek goddess is depicted as a peacock adorned with a magnificent feather, and the Return of the King bangle, with white jade, diamonds and titanium crafted to depict the starry-night patterns of Western modern painting as well as the jade carving craftsmanship of ancient China’s Warring States period.