Claire Huang - Celebrating Crossroads

‘Celebrating Crossroads’ is a collection that commemorates the yin and yang of being Asian-American. Throughout my time at Parsons, the projects that have been important to find my voice as an artist focused on my east Asian roots. The yin and yang is the phenomenon that balances two contrasting forces, similar to me balancing both my American and Chinese backgrounds. Using the phoenix and dragon as the main motifs that represent the yin and yang in Chinese culture, my thesis collection consists of a series of handcrafted jewelry pieces, masks, and a ‘red envelope’ clutch.

Beyond learning several new techniques such as wax carving and hand-formed polymorph, this collection has made me realize that being at a crossroads of two cultures is not full of hesitation, but celebration and acceptance.

As a Chinese-American artist, I hope to inspire others with multicultural backgrounds to appreciate and rejoice in their own unique story.

**ALL PHOTOS AND DESIGNS ARE OWNED BY CLAIRE HUANG.

PLAGIARISM/STEALING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED

concept video

Phoenix Parade

Dragon Dance

Empowering

Gatherings

Honorings

Empress

Emperor

Bag of Blessings

research

In the early stages of my research, I visited many museums that held east Asian art such as the Met, Museum of Chinese in America, and the Rubin for inspiration. I also frequently strolled down the Canal and Mott St. in NYC's Chinatown and found many trinkets associated with Lunar New Year and the theme of celebrating. I was particularly fascinated with the Dragon Dance costumes and the protective charms.

Design Development

Because I am working with well-known motifs, I abstracted and reinterpreted the silhouettes of the phoenix and dragon in various ways from contour drawings to textile patterns.

materiality

Also influencing the design development was exploring various materials: wire, 3D Pen, sheet metal, cording, polymorph, wax carving, e-coating, and metal. The methods that influenced my final products were polymorph sculpting, wax carving, wire manipulating, e-coating, and metalsmithing.