UK, Edinburgh, Edinburgh College of Art, The University of Edinburgh, 2019

The Only Permanence is Impermanence

Buddhist philosophy proposes that individuals are merely collections of strands of experience and everything in the world is constantly changing, so everything has an essence of impermanence. It goes on to posit that suffering can be overcome when people become mindful of the impermanence of reality.

Inspired by this philosophy, my work explores the idea of building in fragility through the integration of transient materials such as talc, soil, and charcoal. These pieces have a lifespan and go through a transformative process, physically and conceptually, when interacting with the wearer. Hidden preciousness is eventually revealed through the act of wearing and wearing them out. The pearls and gold revealed in the jewellery symbolise the state of serenity achieved through acceptance of our own impermanent state. The wearer can draw their own symbolic values and meanings from experiencing this transitory jewellery collection.