From 16 to 27 September 2026, the 2026 "Reviving Craft — Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Design" exhibition ("Reviving Craft"), organised by Sun Media Group, will be held at Somerset House in London. Under the theme "Reflection of the Mind" and drawing on the philosophical traditions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, the exhibition is structured around three sections: "Clear the Mind", "Refine the Mind", and "Nourish the Mind". Together, they showcase the latest fusion of Chinese intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship and contemporary design. Contemporary jade art brand HANZEXI will present representative works from three of its major series, offering world audiences a fresh expression of traditional Chinese culture in a contemporary context.
HANZEXI was founded by artist Benxin, who works primarily in jade to explore the connection between traditional culture and the contemporary spirit. Benxin left her previous career at the age of thirty-five to take up jade art, and for more than a decade she has remained committed to original work, drawing inspiration from Chinese tradition and Eastern philosophy. Respecting the inherent form, colour, and texture of each stone, she continually explores a distinctive language of contemporary jade art through the interplay of material, form and ideas. The brand has since developed a number of established series, including Bamboo Sea, The Road, Deep Sea, Maze, Flowers Bloom in Their Own Time, and Landscape. It also collaborates with master artisans specialising in traditional crafts such as Chinese filigree and inlay and inkstone carving, pushing beyond the expressive boundaries of a single material and allowing ancient jade craftsmanship to move beyond established frameworks, bringing the spirit of traditional culture into a contemporary language.
The Bamboo Sea series featured in this exhibition draws on Wang Yangming's philosophy of "investigating things to attain knowledge" (gewu zhizhi). In Chinese culture, both jade and bamboo carry spiritual meaning beyond their material form — bamboo for its humility, integrity, and resilience; jade for its warmth, restraint, and moral character — the two echoing one another as cultural images. Benxin "writes bamboo in jade", seeking in her creative process a balance between "the nature of the stone, the artist's own true mind, and the cultural memory carried through tradition". Whether in Bamboo Sea · National Elegance, a bracelet carved from Gobi blue-and-white jade, or Bamboo Sea · Graceful Demeanor, which incorporates 18K gold filigree inlay, the varying density and curvature of the bamboo form reflect the countless forms of human life, echoing the Chinese ideal of "having a bamboo fully formed in one's mind".
The Flowers Bloom in Their Own Time series takes its inspiration from the Song-dynasty poet Wang Anshi's line, "By the waterside gate, green moss comes into view; spring circles the branches as flowers slowly unfold." Through the interplay of water and petals, the work captures the state of life in which, "when spring arrives, flowers bloom in their own time." "Still water, flowing water and living water" evoke, respectively, the artist's state of mind, her creative process, and her emotional expression, conveying an outlook on life in which "flowers bloom in their own time; water finds its own course". The series invites Western audiences to appreciate the Eastern cultural understanding of the rhythms of life and inner states of being.
The Deep Sea series grew from Benxin's fascination with the ocean and the origins of life. Beginning with the earliest forms of life in ancient seas, the series moves from the imagined depths of the ocean towards reflections on life, time and human existence. In Deep Sea · Imprint, an hourglass marks the passage of time, while the jade's natural colour and veining carry traces of life. Through the spatial relationship between gold and jade, the work develops a meditation on life and time.
Through jade, Benxin reflects on the inner self and engages in dialogue with the world. Grounded in Chinese cultural heritage, HANZEXI uses a contemporary artistic language to bring ancient jade culture and traditional intangible heritage craftsmanship to life. This showcase in London not only offers a compelling international presentation of contemporary Chinese jade art, but also allows overseas audiences to discover the spiritual aspirations of the Chinese people through the warmth of jade, building a gentle bridge of artistic exchange between East and West.
