Bridging continents and cultures, Shu Wang and Patricia Iglesias are two designers who deftly weave their unique narratives into wearable pieces of art. Shu, with her focus on mixed materials and geometric forms, and Patricia, with her affinity for weaving stories into textiles, both capture the essence of contemporary jewellery design – a celebration of personal histories, emotional connections, and the boundary-blurring amalgamation of art, design, and fashion. Their creations are embodiments of their cultural heritages, personal experiences, and innovative approaches to traditional techniques, resulting in jewellery that evokes curiosity, intrigue, and a deep sense of emotional resonance.

Shu Wang, a jewellery and accessory designer originally from China, currently resides in the United States. With a background in Nonmetallic Inorganic Material Engineering and Jewellery and Metal Design, Shu is adept at using mixed materials and integrating 3D modelling and printing into her jewellery creations. Her designs are influenced by her past experiences and her passion for geometric forms. Shu is currently pursuing a master's degree in Fashion, Body, and Garments at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to further explore the relationship between jewellery, body, and fashion.

Designing jewellery has become a way for Shu to express her feelings, attitudes, and style. Her background in material engineering encourages her to use mixed materials and geometric language extensively in her designs, while her minor in Photography helps her tell stories through images and her work. Shu's creations are deeply intertwined with fashion, and she enjoys experimenting with the interactions between jewellery, body-scale sculpture, accessories, and fashion. For her, there is no border between fashion and art when designing jewellery.

One of Shu's pieces from the Cluster show is from the 气(QI) series, which features 3D printed resin jewellery. In Chinese culture, 气(QI) refers to the balance and flow of energy in a spiritual sense. Shu explores how to feel or visualize the invisible 气(QI) by transforming it into geometrical shapes that capture its complex connotations.

Shu's fascination with jewellery design began in high school, captivated by the way it could connect the human body with sculpture. She views the body as a canvas where jewellery exists as pigment. As a designer, Shu continues to explore body-scale jewellery, fashion jewellery, accessories, and art jewellery, never setting boundaries between art and design or jewellery and fashion.

Shu's preferred materials are mixed materials and 3D printed elements, which allow her to work with various materials and colours based on her design expectations. Her inspiration is drawn from her reactions, emotions, and expectations, as well as the beauty of metaphors and values found in Chinese painting, calligraphy, and literature.

When someone wears Shu Wang's jewellery, she wants them to feel curious and intrigued by the way her pieces are worn or structured. Her style, influenced by architecture, Chinese culture, and fashion, offers a unique and engaging experience for the wearer.

One of Patricia's pieces featured in the Cluster show is the pendant "The Emptiness of the Reflection" from the Mestizo Reflections Series. By weaving around a cord and melting plastic bottles, Patricia creates intricate stories that defy linear logic. This pendant challenges the idea of wearability and invites the wearer to be an accomplice and connect with its poetic essence.

Patricia discovered her love for jewellery design at the age of 46, after experimenting with various forms of expression. Through jewellery, she found the ability to mix materials and techniques, harmonizing and extending beyond the traditional to communicate with the world.

Her journey as a designer began in kitchen and office furniture design before transitioning to jewellery making. She explored various techniques and eventually became enamoured with textiles and their ability to structure soft materials, allowing them to interact with antagonistic elements and embrace the wearer's body.

Chilean jewellery artist Patricia Iglesias, based in Punta Arenas, combines her background in technical drawing, interior design, and visual arts with her passion for goldsmithing and textile techniques. As an active member of the Association of Contemporary Jewellers Joya Brava and a member of the Fundación Artística de Chile, La Brújula Arte en Tránsito, Patricia uses contemporary jewellery to express, experiment, and reflect on the world around her. Her unique pieces, which incorporate sensorial materials and textile techniques, are available through the Cluster Jewellery Online Store.

Patricia's work is deeply influenced by her surroundings and her personal history. Her creations evoke the concept of self-generated protection and draw inspiration from the vast Patagonian pampas. Employing woven and sewn wefts with fibres and threads, she pays homage to the handmade, ancestral world that is slowly disappearing in an increasingly industrial and globalised era.

Textiles are Patricia's preferred materials, as they allow her to experience the dance of her hands while crocheting. She also enjoys incorporating antagonistic materials to express the contradictions she observes in humanity.

Patricia finds inspiration through weaving, memory, and recollections, connecting with her imaginary world and historical events. She also draws inspiration from the chromatic palette of the landscapes surrounding her environment.

When someone wears a piece of Patricia's jewellery, she hopes they feel complicit in the poetics of the piece and take pride in the many hours of weaving that went into its creation. In her work, the luxury lies in the time invested, the beauty in the sensitivity of the piece, and the wearer's ability to communicate and transmit its message.