The Puyuan International Contemporary Jewellery Art and Design Biennale (abbreviated as A.B.C.D Biennale) officially commences on 22nd November 2025, and runs through to 22nd February 2026.
This inaugural Biennale will feature independent thematic pavilions representing eight countries. Through thematic showcases, forums, and three major programme segments, the Biennale aims to present creativity and breakthroughs in contemporary jewellery - from experiments with tension in microscopic metal structures to the metaphorically reconstructive power of wearable devices in social contexts.
From the Chief Curator, Chen Youtong:
Jewellery, though small in scale, carries profound cultural genes. It is the language of the body, a vessel of memory, and an expression of identity and aesthetic sensibility.
‘Microstrain’ is also a working attitude and a methodological approach. It precisely captures the essence of jewellery art: the secret yielding of metal under tension, the delicate equilibrium achieved in the setting of gemstones. It reflects the resilience of individual creators amid global cultural shifts and technological tides - that supple yet enduring adaptability akin to precious metals, where infinite possibilities converge within the smallest of scales. Through processes of fine adjustment and translation, the Biennale emerges in response to the contemporary condition - transforming adornment into a silent cultural dialogue.
The thematic exhibition of the inaugural Puyuan International Contemporary Jewellery Art and Design Biennale comprises eight national pavilions. Each is independently curated by a distinguished representative from the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand - all deeply engaged in the field of jewellery. Together, they present the latest explorations of artists from their respective countries: from poetic investigations into the microstructures of metal to profound metaphors connecting wearable objects and social consciousness. Every piece crystallizes the tension between inner resilience and external “stress.”
Microstrain is thus both the creative force that dives deep into material essence and the subtle gear that drives the evolution of contemporary jewellery and design. In Puyuan, let's witness how art and design resonate on a microscopic scale — weaving through countless delicate strains — to shape a luminous, resilient future for contemporary jewellery.