“I approach jewelry and adornment as personal equipment — objects that carry meaning through repeated use and close physical proximity.”
Objects Close to the Body
Ying-Syuan Zeng is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice emerges from an extensive foundation in film, television, theater, and experimental event fabrication. Her training spans scenic art, prop fabrication, costume construction, and the creation of wigs and makeup prosthetics, all disciplines that prioritize the dynamic relationship between objects and the body. This background established an early sensitivity to how materials operate in motion, under scrutiny, and in collaboration with performers. Rather than approaching objects as static outcomes, she understands them as active participants in experience, shaped by touch, wear, and repetition. This perspective situates her work within a lineage of applied arts that value function and meaning in equal measure, positioning her practice within contemporary conversations about adornment, performance, and identity.
These formative experiences shaped her understanding of adornment as both a practical tool and a symbolic extension of the self. Costume and scenic elements are designed to support movement, communicate character, and endure demanding conditions, and those expectations continue to inform her approach to jewelry and small objects. For Zeng, jewelry is not a distant luxury or a purely visual statement. It exists in intimate proximity to the body, influencing posture, gesture, and emotional awareness. This closeness transforms adornment into something lived with rather than merely observed, an idea that guides her ongoing shift from large-scale environments to objects that fit in the hand or pocket.
Her current practice applies theatrical fabrication techniques to wearable and handheld works intended for daily interaction. These objects are designed to be carried, touched, and relied upon, allowing meaning to accumulate over time through use. By translating methods associated with expansive productions into compact forms, Zeng preserves the rigor and seriousness of her training while redefining scale and intimacy. The result is a body of work that invites sustained engagement, where craftsmanship supports emotional presence and personal reflection without sacrificing technical depth or conceptual clarity.
Ying-Syuan Zeng: From Performance to Personal Equipment
Zeng’s path toward becoming an artist was shaped by years of making objects for performance and live environments where collaboration and precision are nonnegotiable. In film and theater, objects must withstand intense conditions, from quick costume changes to the pressures of live audiences. This environment trained her to anticipate stress, movement, and transformation, encouraging a problem-solving mindset grounded in material intelligence. Such experiences cultivated a respect for preparation and adaptability, qualities that continue to define her studio practice. The behind-the-scenes nature of this labor also fostered humility and attentiveness, reinforcing the idea that effective objects serve a purpose beyond self-expression.
Over time, her focus gravitated toward smaller-scale works that retain this level of intention while relocating the site of experience closer to the body. This shift did not signal a retreat from complexity but rather a refinement of it. By concentrating on jewelry and intimate objects, Zeng found a format that could carry the same emotional and technical weight as theatrical elements while offering a more personal mode of engagement. Each piece is approached with the same seriousness as a prop or costume designed for performance, acknowledging that even the smallest object can hold significant responsibility in how it supports and reflects its wearer.
Her style today is defined by carefully fabricated objects that balance visual clarity with emotional usefulness. Core themes include self-reflection, protection, and emotional endurance, all addressed through forms meant for repeated handling and long-term companionship. Zeng approaches jewelry as personal equipment rather than decoration, emphasizing reliability, comfort, and meaning earned through proximity. This philosophy resists disposability and spectacle, instead proposing adornment as a quiet but persistent presence that supports the wearer through change, pressure, and introspection.
Lineage, Mentorship, and Quiet Influences
Zeng’s work is informed by a deep respect for craft traditions that emphasize skill, care, and accountability to materials. Theatrical design and fabrication remain central reference points, not only for their technical demands but also for their collaborative ethos. These fields understand objects as contributors to shared experiences, gaining significance through use and context rather than isolation. This understanding reinforces her commitment to making objects that are meant to be worn, handled, and integrated into daily life, where meaning develops gradually and authentically.
A pivotal influence in her development was her mentor, Donato Moreno, whose approach to theatrical design modeled integrity, generosity, and respect for both people and process. His guidance shaped her understanding of what it means to practice art with responsibility, extending beyond aesthetics to include ethical considerations and interpersonal care. Moreno’s influence persists as a standard against which she measures her own decisions as an artist and designer. His impact is not confined to technique but is embedded in her values, informing how she approaches collaboration, teaching, and the stewardship of craft knowledge.
Beyond individual mentorship, Zeng draws inspiration from objects that accompany people through periods of transition. Talismans, mirrors, and personal items that are carried quietly yet consistently hold particular resonance for her. These objects often escape public attention while maintaining profound emotional significance for their owners. By studying how such items function across time, she identifies ways in which material form can support memory, protection, and continuity. This sensitivity to lived experience allows her work to engage deeply with personal narratives without resorting to overt symbolism or spectacle.
Ying-Syuan Zeng: Memory, Process, and Future Directions
One of the most meaningful works in Zeng’s practice is Forget Me Not from her Sylver Lining series, a cloisonné resin pocket mirror created in memory of Donato Moreno. The piece functions simultaneously as adornment and keepsake, honoring the enduring influence of mentorship and artistic lineage. Conceived during a period of loss and reassessment, the mirror serves as an object of reflection in multiple senses. It invites the user to consider not only their own image but also their ethical and emotional orientation, reinforcing Zeng’s belief that hope can exist through continuity rather than resolution.
The design of Forget Me Not draws inspiration from Victorian hairwork mourning jewelry, particularly its floral motifs and methods of containment used to preserve intimacy and remembrance. Fabricated using cloisonné-inspired resin techniques combined with metal findings, the work reflects her background in scenic and theatrical fabrication. The compartmentalized surface holds color securely in place, symbolizing protection and care while allowing visual richness to emerge through structure. Intended for repeated handling, the mirror is designed to age alongside its owner, quietly carrying the presence of someone who shaped Zeng’s practice and sense of responsibility.
Her daily studio work centers on hands-on jewelry fabrication and material experimentation. Through iterative processes that include pattern design, resin pouring and curing, sanding, polishing, and assembly, she pays close attention to weight, balance, and the interaction of color and light. Looking forward, she plans to further develop the Sylver Lining series through continued research, including The Raven, a piece exploring techniques that imitate the iridescent shimmer of raven feathers. Drawn to the raven as a symbol of protection, Zeng views this work as an exploration of jewelry’s potential as a talisman, combining technical innovation with emotional resilience and symbolic strength.
