Jade carving is not lacking in "novelty", what it lacks is connotation!

In recent years, the outside world and the industry have voiced opinions about some works, which is also a phenomenon that has emerged from auctions and jade carving competitions in recent years: many works have a sense of déjà vu, "the works are too traditional and lack novelty!"

Many jade carvers also mentioned that today’s collectors are very picky, and they themselves often mentioned that they strive to be innovative, but the overall jade market is unpopular and transaction volume is slow. Regarding jade carving innovation, I feel a little anxious about the market.

Before we talk about this topic, do we understand what innovation is? To put it simply, innovation is the creation of something that did not exist before. As for sculptures that are created based on the past and borrowed from other arts and crafts, it may be more appropriate to understand them as reference and creativity.

Regarding contemporary themes, however, many sculptors said that there seems to be no market for innovative works, and people still like Buddhist, antique and other series of themes. The reason given by many people in the industry is that these works have no background and connotation. These topics will not become mainstream, so what is the problem?

Let's take a look at some of the problems with the so-called "innovative" works:

1. Creation must have a basis and cultural support

As the saying goes, "Jade must have meaning, and the meaning is auspicious." This is a hat that traditional culture has brought to jade carving. Most jade carvings are largely restricted by traditional culture, and the subject matter and content are relatively solidified. But it does not necessarily mean that if I carve a yin and yang Bagua on it, it means that this is the thought of Zhouyi. To truly understand its connotation is to concretize and express the problems it explains.

To put it simply, for example, if you incorporate the yin and yang (in philosophical terms, this is what we call the transformation of contradictions) explained in the Book of Changes into your work through jade carving art, you will truly understand its essence. Therefore, the perspective needs to be innovative and changing, and even traditional themes can seek changes in expression form and production technology. If one simply continues to copy the original style of the work, the work will gradually become a mass-produced handicraft, and its artistic added value will be greatly reduced. Innovation must be based on facts and supported by culture so that it can last longer and stand the test of time.

2. It should conform to the public's aesthetic taste and not be tacky.

Taking the subject of nude women as an example, "nude women" is a contemporary form. This type of work belongs to niche art and will not be mainstream. In the words of many buyers, "Even if you like the nude woman pendant, you can't wear it. It would be so embarrassing if you wear it in front of your friends and family."

Of course, Runxiang did not deny the theme of "naked women" here, but in the ideology of Chinese people, it has not yet reached the level that the general public can recognize and accept. Some people follow the trend of innovation and even create works that are contrary to social culture without regard for social customs, leading the industry or market into vulgarity. Innovation in jade carving is worth promoting, but it cannot be done for the sake of innovation.

3. Creation cannot be a temporary entertainment

For example, mascots of large-scale sports events have become the subject of many people's carvings. These works are seasonal. For example, in the recent period, many jade carvers created "moon cakes" during the Mid-Autumn Festival. They were very popular during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but after a period of time, they became the bottom of the box and could not stand the test of time.

If jade carvings are too entertaining, their artistic quality will be weakened and they may easily become handicrafts. This requires jade carvers to strike a balance when creating.