Pursuing creativity

One of the judges of the award Claire Choisne, who met Han in Paris, says she was impressed by Han's Self-Portrait, a label series made of silver and copper alloy gold. Han created the series in 2015 when he was studying in the School of Jewelry in Birmingham Institution of Art and Design, where he got his master's degree.

"His works, utilizing the power of metaphor with wit and sophistication, surprised me. I've never seen such beautiful and creative pieces. He is confident about his art and it's apparent to see his solid techniques and his ability to create," says Choisne.

In 2019, Han established his Melsollo Lab workshop, centering on jewelry production and metalwork. Now, he also teaches at Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, hoping to help young generations to pursue the art. "As an artist, Han is observant. During his stay in Paris, he was keen on communicating and finding inspiration with an open heart," says Yishu 8 founder Christine Cayol, also a co-founder and judge of the award.

Lei Geye, of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation's Golden Phoenix fund, also a co-founder and judge of the award, says the "ingenuity of the hand" award focuses on tradition, excellence and creativity, which can help improve communication in terms of the development of Chinese and French handicrafts.