Artist Spotlight | Cicy Sze-Yin Ching
Updated: Dec 10, 2023
Website: cicy.net / Instagram: @cicy_ching
Meet Dr. Ching Sze-Yin Cicy (Cicy Ching), an inaugural member of the Malaspina x VMAA Printermedia Residency in downtown Vancouver. Discover her latest body of work, "Bloom Elsewhere," her biography, and what drives her as an artist.
"Bloom Elsewhere"
A solo exhibition of studio jewellery and small objects by Cicy CHING Sze-Yin produced during the Malaspina Printmakers residency.
程詩賢個人作品展覽
Reclaimed materials are stories in themselves.
翻造物料本身就是故事。
A prototype of this collection was first shown as part of the "Our Language" Printermedia Residency exhibition series at at Malaspina Printmakers Society (1555 Duranleau St, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC, Canada).
"Bloom Elsewhere" will return in January at VisualSpace Gallery.
Galleries: photographs from the opening reception
Portrait: Cicy at opening reception
Photography by Ingrid Valou, courtesy of VMAA
Cicy Ching Biography
Dr. Ching Sze-Yin, Cicy, was born and raised in Hong Kong. She studied fashion design at Seneca College and jewellery metalworking at OCAD University in Toronto between 1988 and 1992. In 1996, she set up her own studio in Hong Kong, and became a full-time practising artist, creating hand-made jewellery and small objects.
In 2002 she received a Bachelor's Degree (Bachelor of Arts, Fine Art, Ceramics) from a collaborative programme between RMIT University in Australia and Hong Kong Art School in 2002. She subsequently obtained a full scholarship for her Master's studies (Master of Arts, Glass) at the University of Sunderland, UK. In 2013, she received her Doctorate of Fine Art from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Australia.
Her works have been exhibited in numerous countries and are held in several collections. In addition to her studio practice, Cicy began to teach part-time in 2005. In 2011, she became a full-time lecturer in studio jewellery and small metal at the Academy of Visual Arts (AVA) of Hong Kong Baptist University.
She moved to Vancouver, Canada in 2021 and is now continuing her journey as a full-time practising artist, creating hand-made jewellery and small objects.
程詩賢生於香港，一九八八至九二年於加拿大多倫多修讀時裝設計及金工首飾。一九九六在香港建立個人工作室並全職從事首飾和小形雕塑創作。
程氏於二零零二年獲取澳洲墨爾本理工大學和香港藝術學院合辨的藝術學士學位課程（主修陶瓷）；二零零三年獲取英國新特蘭大學全費奬學金，前往英國，修畢碩士學位課程（主修玻璃藝術）；二零一三年獲澳州墨爾本理工大學頒發藝術博士學位。
程氏作品曾於多國展出，並被多個博物館和私人收藏。除獨立創作之外，自二零零五開始兼職任教於多間專上學，並於二零一一年至二一年全職任敎於香港浸會大學視覺藝術院。
二零二一年程氏移居加拿大溫哥華並繼續從事其首飾和小形雕塑創作。
Be sure to check out Cicy's website to view her CV, and explore past presentations of her work.
Artist Statement
Above: Cicy's work at a presentation in Hong Kong.
Cicy uses fragmented and recycled materials in her creation. Her motivation is not only to engage in circular economy and environmental protection; it encapsulates reintegrating and sorting bits and pieces of her personal and collective memories.
Favourite toys from her childhood, obsolete daily objects, old-fashioned jewellery castings collected from long-gone factories, and pressed glass panels from old Chinese screen doors are some of the inspirations for Cicy’s creations. These are traces of the bygone days. She re-shapes, polishes, and combines these fragments of the past into small objects with her own hands using precious metal. She hopes these pieces would emit a bit of residual heat in this fleeting time and space.
重新整合零碎物件，並不只是為了循環經濟和環保，同時也在梳理個人及集體記憶。
兒時心愛的玩具，陳舊的日常用品，倒閉工場積存的過時首飾鑄件, 港式舊屏風上的海棠花玻璃…保存着逝去日子的痕跡、成了程詩賢創作的靈感來源。她通過用自己雙手把零碎的物件重新切割、打磨、並以貴金屬重新整合，好讓它們在稍遜即逝的時空下再發出點點的餘溫。
As of publication, Cicy continues to build her body of work as a resident of the Printermedia Artist Residency - Metal Arts stream at Malaspina's Howe Street Studios.