Yaning Liu
About

Tracing Trace

Footprints not only evidence our experiences but also act like a seal stamped
upon the land we are walking on. Each impression marks our trace of that place
and space, serving as a validation, whether it's in terms of recognising its value
or affirming its significance.

This act underscores the importance of the values and identity associated with
our actions, prompting us to pay closer attention to the impact of our behaviours
on the surrounding environment.

Tracing Trace (2024)
Rubber, PLA (colour plated), ink
265 * 80 * 250mm

Take Your Necklace

The work designs a tear-off flyer into a promotional poster for a necklace, where
the tags at the bottom transition from mere information to the continuation of the
necklace featured in the poster. In that situation, the tear-off flyer with the
physical necklaces indicates that the necklace transforms its role from a mere
personal ornament to a medium for connecting a consumer community.

Each person who picks this necklace, upon tearing off the tags, is not only
selecting a piece of jewellery for the individual but also joining a group that has
chosen this specific commercial message and aesthetic value. The fixed flyer
itself becomes their common link, reflecting how a shared choice across different
settings and times can create a sense of understanding and connection among
communities.

Take Your Necklace(2024)
Paper
300 * 1200mm

New Necklace

Jewellery serves not only as personal adornment but also as a witness to
community history and memory. It invisibly connects all who have
encountered it, worn by various individuals over time, bearing witness to
their stories and experiences, and constantly evolving.

The design features a book with each page showcasing a different person's
profile, with a pearl necklace placed in a specific position. As I turn the
pages, the jewellery seemingly meets each new person along with me. In
this way, the same piece of jewellery, worn by different people, narrates
new chapters of its ongoing story.

New Necklace (2024)
Paper, pearl, brass
370 * 250 * 25mm

The Spoon’s Necklace

This design involves swapping the functional part of a spoon (the bowl) with its
decorative part (the handle) to explore the meaning of object identity and
fundamental interaction. Traditionally, the bowl is the core functional component
of a spoon, primarily used for scooping and holding food, while the handle offers
ease of grip and operation, enhanced by decorative elements to improve the
user experience.In this design, the handle is reimagined as an ornament for the
bowl, transforming it from a practical tool into a necklace.

This shift diminishes the handle's functionality and enhances its decorative
aspect, turning it into an accessory for the bowl. This role reversal alters the
spoon's original functionality and assigns a new identity and significance to the
handle. It encourages people to rethink their basic ways of interacting with
objects and invites a reassessment of the purpose and significance of everyday
objects.

The Spoon’s Necklace (2024)
Cupronickel
45 * 140 * 12mm

Hole or Held

The design extends a candlestick as a table leg, with another candlestick placed
on the table and connected by a curved wax.

This setup symbolises that a candlestick is more than just a decorative item for
holding candles. It serves as a support, holding up not just a candle but enhancing
the entire space and atmosphere.

Hold or Held (2024)
Plywood, wax, brass
400* 400 * 880mm

Clink, Clink

The design merges the head of a hammer with the stem of a wine cup. Both the
hammer and the wine cup involve a "clink" action, connecting them through this
shared behaviour.

However, the clink of a hammer is forceful and destructive, while the clink of a wine
cup symbolises ceremony and respect. When this new combination appears,
people will still think of the clink action, but will they perceive it as a hammer or a
wine cup? Both their functionalities are minimised, promoting reflection on objects'
dual nature, highlighting how context and usage shape our perceptions and how the
same action can carry vastly different meanings depending on the object involved.

Clink, Clink (2024)
Glass, steel (found objects)
100 * 100 * 210mm

Fossilisation of a Moment

The design imprints the trace of a ring within a fossil, leveraging the jewellery's
intimacy and heritage across different contexts to provoke thought in the audience.

Is a moment temporary or eternal? Does a fossil record the trace of an instant or an
everlasting story? How do we prove its existence or non-existence? What makes us
believe that a moment can be eternal? By embedding the personal and sentimental
nature of a ring into the permanence of a fossil, this design explores themes of
memory, legacy, and the interplay between the transient and the enduring

Fossilization of a Moment (2024)
Glass, steel (found objects)
100 * 100 * 210mm

Some Tissue?

Some Tissue(2024)
Cardboard paper, wood
270 * 100 * 300mm

Return the Hammer

Return the Hammer (2024)
Wood, steel
190 * 30 * 340mm

Last Drop

The design connects a tap to a life buoy. When people turn the tap, the water
can either save you or place you in danger. This juxtaposition highlights the dual
nature of water as both a life-sustaining resource and a potential threat,
reminding us that individual actions have significant and far-reaching
consequences. It encourages a deeper reflection on the vital yet precarious role
water plays in our lives.

Last Drop(2024)
Brass, found objects
850 * 950 * 300mm

The Candle’s Gemstone

Candle’s Gemstone (2023)
Brass, wax, zircon
130 * 65 * 290mm

Silent Tablet

Silent Tablet (2024)
Stone
75 * 142 * 11mm

On My Way

On My Way (2024)
Steel, copper
350 * 600 * 10mm

The Shadows

The Shadows (2023)
Barss (gold plated), pearl
185 * 160 * 65mm

Jewellery Relocation Scheme

Jewellery Relocation Scheme (2023)
Barss, found objects
280 * 250 * 80mm, 150 * 230 * 35mm, 60 * 60 * 110mm

H2O

Body Structure (2023)
PLA, Stainless steel
210 * 190 * 115mm, 350 * 270 * 650mm