at TEFAF Maastricht 2020
Cindy Chao Presents Her Latest Masterpieces Within a New Moveable Art Installation Designed in Collaboration with Postma
(Maastricht, Netherlands - March 2020) - Celebrated artist and high-jeweller CIND Y CHAO The Art Jewel proudly returns to the prestigious TEFAF Maastricht from March 7th through 15th, with another exceptional suite of jewelled creations. This year, Cindy Chao presents her masterpieces in a new awe- inspiring booth (stand 139) designed in collaboration with world-renowned Dutch architect Tom Postma.
Known for his monumental sculptures, one of Tom’s most important commissions was his design at a Palazzo Fondazione Levi art show at the Grand Canal during the Venice Biennale which effectively put him on the map. He was then tapped to design TEFAF Maastricht, which he has continued to do for the past 17 years. His design house, Tom Postma Design, has now collaborated with many esteemed cultural institutions such as the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Fondazione Prada and the Rijksmuseum.
Drawn by Cindy’s energy, creativity and natural flair, Tom looked forward to conceptualizing and developing Chao’s booth for her second TEFAF. “The project was a year in the making. We met for the first time at Art Basel Hong Kong last year, and I was immediately drawn in,” said Postma. “Cindy is young, energetic and wants and demands the best—no less. I was captivated by that. It’s an energy I could relate to, so I was happy to take on the project.
”Having a distinguished architect as a grandfather and an established sculptor as a father, Cindy possesses a profound appreciation and respect for Tom’s craft, and believes that through his incredible design, her masterpieces will be presented in the finest manner. The creative essence of the new booth design portrays the combination of Cindy’s heritage and acclaimed craftsmanship in wax hand-sculpting with Tom’s deep background in creating high-end experiential spaces. This East-meets-West collaboration also reflects Cindy’s own design philosophy; melding together creative Asian design with that of traditional European craftsmanship.
Under the theme “Reflection,” Cindy and Tom’s design also tells the story of CINDY CHAO The Art Jewel’s impressive growth onto the international stage over the last 15 years, all through the lens of the brand’s founder. Their vision was to create a moveable art installation with branch-like displays that are sculptural and organic, yet also strong and secure.
“We wanted to create beautiful, artistic displays that floated, so to speak,” said Tom. “They had to have soft, organic lines but on the other hand, they also had to be practical—sturdy and stable enough to hold the pieces and withstand transfers and constant movement around them throughout the fair. Steel was a practical choice, but it did present some technical challenges because of the toughness of the material...but we succeeded. For visual impact, we plated the steel ‘branches’ with bronze and patina to give it a mystifying feel that will match the atmosphere of the booth.
”The result is an extraordinary and inspiring immersive experience. Tom adds, “it will be like viewing beautiful art jewels while walking through a misty, wooded area as the sun is slowly coming up – it’s amazing .
”Cindy is among the handful of select distinguished jewellers invited to participate at TEFAF Maastricht 2020. TEFAF is widely regarded as the world’s premier fair for fine art, antiques and design represented by over 275 prestigious dealers from 20 countries, displaying pieces that spans 7,000 years of history. Chao made her first appearance at TEFAF Maastricht in 2019, a debut that received accolades from both the organizer and its collectors and distinguished guests.
Product introductions can be found in the following pages:
This January, Chao’s 2008 Black Label Masterpiece “Ruby Butterfly Brooch” became the second piece from the Annual Butterfly Collection to be inducted into a premiere museum, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (MAD) in Paris, following the induction of the 2009 Black Label Masterpiece I “Royal Butterfly Brooch” into the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. in 2010. This event reaffirms CIND Y CHAO The Art Jewel’s global status as a museum-calibre art jewel brand.
“My Annual Butterflies are a symbol of my artistic metamorphosis, and the advancement of my brand and innovation in craftsmanship” – Cindy Chao
Chao has been widely praised for her architectural mindset and sculptor savoir-faire. Chao intended to pay tribute to her family legacy by using her grandfather’s architectural drawings as inspiration behind the 2019 Black Label Masterpiece I “Aurora Butterfly Brooch”. This concept of “family heritage continuation” is additionally rendered through vein-like motifs that intertwine from the work’s front to its back. Chao also demonstrates her bold use of colour for this butterfly. The piece’s contrasting red and blue colours, comparable to red and blue northern lights which are rarely seen together, yields it name.
The Aurora Butterfly Brooch features four Burmese “pigeon’s blood” rubies totalling to 8.48 carats set on aluminium, a metal even lighter than titanium. It is the very first time Cindy Chao uses this particular metal in its creation, given its ability to show a brighter and more saturated red hue than titanium’s through anodisation.
The butterfly wings are a constellation comprised of over 3,100 pieces of diamonds and sapphires with seven types of cut, entirely set on titanium. Out of 6,000 diamonds, 172 rose-cut diamonds in 10 different shapes are selected and are set in a seemingly floating fashion to create a shimmering effect between the blue and white colours. On the lower wings, a pair of triangular rose-cut diamonds with a total of 10 carats are placed to accentuate the elegance, transparency and delicacy of the work.
The 2019 Annual Butterfly constitutes an important hallmark of the brand’s curiosity to experiment on new material. It also illustrates Chao’s signature creative philosophy, born with her artistic DNA, that every piece of high jewellery should be a 360-degree miniature sculpture and architecture.
2019 Black Label Masterpiece I “Aurora Butterfly Brooch”
Annual Butterfly Collection
Main gemstones:
“Pigeon’s blood” Burmese rubies 4 pieces / 8.48 caratsTriangular rose-cut diamonds 2 pieces / 10.19 carats
Side stones:
Diamonds 1,029 pieces / 138.91 carats Sapphires 2,090 pieces / 76.60 carats Yellow diamonds 2,668 pieces / 15.93 carats Rubies 220 pieces / 2.88 carats
Metal: titanium, aluminium
Total stone quantity and carat weight: 6,013 pieces / 252.99 carats
Size: 15 x 13 cm Weight: 78.12 g