Yutong Liu is a Chinese artist based in London who uses jewellery as a medium to express deep emotional and cultural meanings. Her work bridges the gap between tradition and modernity, blending Eastern and Western cultures while exploring themes of identity, power, and desire. Her pieces challenge conventional aesthetics and value systems in jewellery, inviting viewers to reflect on social structures, cultural identity, and their inner worlds. Through fictional narratives or reimagining traditional culture, her creations are not just visual art but a profound exploration of emotions and the psyche.
By integrating traditional Chinese concepts, especially the idea of the ‘Wuyou Garden’, with contemporary jewellery, Yutong Liu aims to create a space of inner reflection and narrative imagination.
Current Obsession:
Yutong Liu: My graduation work explores the act of strolling as a poetic and philosophical experience, contrasting Eastern and Western garden cultures. By integrating traditional Chinese concepts—especially the idea of the ‘Wuyou Garden’ —with contemporary jewellery, I wanted to create a space of inner reflection and narrative imagination.
This project became important to me now because, in a fast-paced and often overwhelming world, I feel a growing need to reconnect with slowness, emotion, and introspection. Through the restructured poems and interactive elements, I hope to offer viewers a quiet, personal space where they can reflect and construct their own emotional landscapes.
CO:
YL: My practice has been unexpectedly shaped by the Misty Poets, whose subtle, emotionally rich language inspired me to see poetry as a form of resistance and inner truth. Their ambiguous imagery and layered meanings deeply influence how I approach narrative and symbolism in my jewellery.
Another key influence is the simple act of walking. During solitary strolls, I observe fleeting moments in nature and urban life— shadows, sounds, fragments of conversations—which often spark visual or poetic ideas. These experiences allow my work to grow intuitively, grounded in emotion and imagination rather than rigid concepts. Together, poetry and walking continue to shape a quiet but powerful foundation for my creative process.
‘ My work becomes a way of reconciling cultural memory with present realities, offering a quiet resistance to fast consumption and surface-level aesthetics ‘
CO:
YL: Yes, my work reflects and responds to cultural contexts that are deeply personal to me. As someone rooted in Chinese culture but living and studying in a Western context, I often feel a sense of disconnection and in-betweenness. This experience drives me to explore the contrasts and harmonies between Eastern and Western philosophies, aesthetics, and value systems. In particular, I draw from traditional Chinese poetry, garden design, and symbolism to create contemporary jewellery that questions fixed ideas of beauty, identity, and emotional space. My work becomes a way of reconciling cultural memory with present realities, offering a quiet resistance to fast consumption and surface-level aesthetics.
Instagram @yutong_liu5
All featured images are courtesy of the artist.
Our annual series SO MINT! is back, shining a spotlight on the rising talents of fresh graduates in fashion, jewellery, and design from around the world. Are you a recent graduate with remarkable work to share? Submit your portfolio via this link!
Submissions are open until the end of August 2025.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us via veronika@current-obsession.com.
