International Women's Day 2026: Meet Huimin Zhang

For International Women's Day 2026, we spoke with goldsmith and gold artist Huimin Zhang. Last year she was awarded the QEST Scholarship, funded by the Goldsmiths’ Foundation, which supports individuals who wish to develop and hone their silver/goldsmithing craft-making skills. Here she discusses her career as a goldsmith, the meaning behind her ‘Golden Mammary’ series, and what opportunities she will gain from the support of QEST.

1. What led you to embark on your ‘Golden Mammary’ series to raise awareness for breast cancer?

Two dear friends were diagnosed with breast cancer within two years of each other. Witnessing such events unfold consecutively had a profound impact on me. I began researching the disease and discovered its alarmingly high incidence among women. While grieving for my friends, I also grew anxious about my own health, fearing I might face similar challenges. Initially, I would even wake from nightmares in terror. For the first time in my life, I profoundly grasped humanity's fragility and helplessness before fate. If I felt this way, one could only imagine the immense pressure my friends, directly affected, were enduring! Then, six months later, when I visited one of them, she pointed to her empty right breast and smiled, telling me the surgery had been successful and she was planning reconstruction. In her smile, I felt warmth like sunlight, and in that instant, much of my fear melted away. My gentlest friend proved so remarkably strong—how human beings can summon such immense strength when confronted by fate. At that moment, it was as though a golden flower had blossomed on her right breast. Its warm radiance enveloped me, easing every tension in my body. It was this experience that resolved me to create this piece—I felt compelled to share the warmth I had felt with more women.

2. How did the medium of goldsmithing help translate those feelings into a physical form?

Goldsmithing is an honest craft. I weave, connect, and shape with gold thread, slowly and meticulously. It is an essential tool for my artistic expression, through which I convey diverse emotions—perceptions of life, understanding of the world. Much of a goldsmith's creation forms an intimate bond with its wearer. This closeness is precisely what fascinates me most. The central themes of my work largely revolve around women, always narrating stories from within the female psyche or their interactions with society. It is a relatively private experience; I constantly strive to use personal feelings to resonate with collective memory. I believe only truly personal experiences possess sufficient vitality to genuinely move the heart. Goldsmithing serves as an exceptional vessel for such vivid experiences, its relationship with humanity being profoundly intimate. I find myself unable to create what has never existed; rather, I give voice to emotions that have long resided within this world. My primary task is to experience this world with my heart.

I primarily create my works in gold, a material that profoundly aids my artistic practice. Gold is eternal, yet human life is fleeting. In my artistic endeavours, I frequently contemplate the eternal nature of materials versus the impermanence of life. At times, I feel like a small dragon, drawn inexplicably to gold's warmth. It radiates a soft, sun-like glow that consistently captivates and warms my transient existence. Thus, long before creating with gold, I spent years collecting antique gold ornaments. My child is still young and shows no interest in these heirlooms. As I grow older, I find myself increasingly pondering, when acquiring new pieces, what I shall do with them should my child remain indifferent to my collection by the time my life draws to a close. In this moment, the eternal nature of gold and the fleetingness of life became a tangible presence in my existence. For me, this question seems to yield different solutions each time I encounter it. Initially, I was drawn to its energy, collecting and possessing it as a collector. Now, I wish to infuse that energy into the material itself, allowing it to bear and preserve these forces. In this act, I assume the identity of a creator.

Gold serves as a vessel for me, containing various forms of power. The most precious kind, in my view, is gold imbued with the divine – a quality rarely seen in modern artefacts. Next comes gold filled with spirituality, representing the standard I strive to achieve in my work. Finally, there is gold saturated with craftsmanship, an attribute increasingly scarce in contemporary pieces.

My creations evoke an exceptionally intimate, skin-close sensation – almost fragile. Goldsmithing and gold itself are vessels of warmth and eternity for me. I cherish them deeply, reserving them only for the most precious emotions to bear. This conviction shapes my creative expression. In this next chapter of my life's journey, I wish to leave treasures for this world—objects people will hold in their palms, unwilling to harm or destroy. These pieces will extend my life, transcending its physical boundaries. When I attempt to infuse life into gold, the tension between preciousness and intimacy becomes intertwined; its very existence embodies life itself. To my eyes, this intimacy is a force more potent than power or desire. Soft yet enduring, it envelops me like a girl, a mother, a sister, shielding me from facing this unknown world alone. This force has always existed, ever-present and steadfastly by our side.

At times, I employ gold to articulate personal sorrow and vulnerability, confronting the challenge of translating such emotions into a narrative through goldsmithing. I envision gold as a malleable substance, using it to envelop the sentiments I wish to express. It then adheres to the contours of these feelings, much like applying a thick layer of gold to various emotions.

3. What does the QEST funding mean to you and what opportunities will it provide?

In February 2025, I attended Giovanni Corvaja's five-day course at my own expense, which profoundly deepened my understanding of gold as a material. I realised the importance of learning from the masters. However, as an artist working primarily in gold, the material costs are already substantial, making further specialised study financially challenging. I possess innovative design concepts that require more sophisticated techniques to realise. Without financial backing, I would struggle to access master-level guidance and bring my visions to fruition.

QEST's support will enable me to continue studying under Giovanni Corvaja, focusing specifically on filigree techniques. This research will expand my expertise, achieving a qualitative leap in my understanding of this material. It will materialise my long-held design concepts, elevate the creative calibre of my work, garner international recognition, and demonstrate to a new generation of creators the boundless potential for innovation within traditional craftsmanship.

4. What are you most excited about learning from Giovanni?

What I most anticipate learning from Giovanni Corvaja extends beyond technical skills to encompass his approach to creation. Technically, Giovanni Corvaja is a master of alloy composition, capable of blending 26 distinct coloured alloys. Mastering this technique will allow me to integrate it with my ongoing research into various filigree techniques. This knowledge will directly benefit my creative plans for the next 5-10 years, culminating in exquisite pieces combining coloured gold filigree with other materials. My ambition is to push the boundaries of filigree artistry and elevate my work to an international standard. Moreover, as someone who also creates intricate pieces using fine gold wire, Giovanni's approach is meticulous. He treats every stage of the process with rigorous precision and possesses a distinct understanding of the finished piece – qualities that cannot be learned purely through technique alone. It stems from his personal attitude towards his craft, and engaging with him has been immensely enriching.

5. Do you have advice for any other young women looking to enter the jewellery profession?

My foremost advice would be to pursue a “pure” objective and engage in profound exploration. Having formally embarked on goldsmithing in middle age, I approached my creative direction and goals without excessive reservations, free from overthinking economic or domestic concerns. I create solely on themes that genuinely resonate with me, employing techniques I master and find compelling to explore. This has sustained my drive for deep, enduring research within the field. It was then I realised that the purer my objectives and the more singular my focus, the more readily success followed. I often reflect that had I identified my passions and pursued them deeply fifteen years ago—in my youth—my research journey would now be far more advanced. Thus, I encourage young women to explore widely, swiftly pinpointing a singular, focused objective. Should they also find mentors within their field to learn from—effectively standing on the shoulders of giants—their progress will be all the more efficient.