The Right Shape
The Right Shape 适形 Craft Exhibition x Alsolike Gallery
Date: 2 August - 1 September 2024
Venue: 19 Kaiyuan Road, Zhengzhou, China
Programme Director: Alice Fan Shi
Curator: Yunxia Jiang
The Right Shape 适形 is a group exhibition of contemporary British metalwork, showcasing five exceptional artists whose practices redefine the balance between aesthetic form and functional purpose. This is a rare presentation of British craft in China, taking place in Zhengzhou and featuring works by Ana Christensen, Angela Cork, Caiyang Yin, Jessica Jue, and Sheng Zhang.
The exhibition title, The Right Shape, plays on the dual meaning of the Chinese word “适形”: not only the “appropriate form” but also the “correct, fitting shape.” It reflects how each artist brings metal into its ideal state through precise craftsmanship, intuitive design, and material sensitivity.
All five participating artists have been recognised at the highest levels of the British craft field. Their works have not only been featured in Collect, the leading international fair for contemporary craft and design, but they are also regular exhibitors at the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Fair. Among them, Ana Christensen and Sheng Zhang have pieces in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, while Angela Cork has received numerous national awards for her refined and highly functional designs. Caiyang Yin and Jessica Jue represent a new generation of makers, bringing fresh perspectives that elegantly merge Eastern and Western aesthetics through their contemporary interpretations of traditional metalwork.
Together, these artists demonstrate that “the right shape” is not just about visual harmony, but also about how an object performs, holds space, and engages with everyday life. Their mastery lies in shaping metal not only into beautiful forms, but into forms that work—a testament to the ongoing vitality of contemporary craft.
