Stella Wang

Contained Growth

Jewellery and Silversmithing - BA (Hons)

School of Design

wangshiyao968@gmail.com

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Wang_Shiyao_Press pack_Contained Growth_2026_5_14_002.pdf (1.22 MB)

A contemporary wearable headpiece exploring the contrast between structured silver forms and organic paper mâché surfaces.

Project description

This body of work explores the tension between external discipline and organic self-growth through a series of contemporary jewellery and wearable sculptures. Using the ear as a symbolic form of perception, listening, and response, the work reflects on the ways social structures, familiar environments, and outside voices influence personal identity. Inspired by the contrast between architectural order and the uncontrolled growth of natural forms, the pieces combine structured silver frameworks with hand-formed paper mâché elements. Through processes such as laser welding, casting, and material experimentation, the work examines the coexistence of restraint and freedom, revealing growth not as resistance alone, but as a gradual process of negotiation and transformation.

Awards

Selected for The 31st British Art Medal Society Student Medal Project — 2023–2024

Skills & Experience

Featured on the New Designer blog
Open Project Exhibition — Feb 2025 Andrew Grant Gallery, Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh Meets Munich – Bookmarks Exhibition — Mar 2025, Munich, Germany

A wearable headpiece made from silver and paper mâché

Exploring the feeling of being constrained by external voices and social expectations, this piece uses structured forms surrounding the ear to represent discipline, control, and restriction.

Reflecting a gradual balance between outside influences and personal voice, this piece uses more open and symmetrical forms to suggest acceptance, growth, and coexistence.

Emerging Within

This work develops the exploration of external influence and internal response by shifting from strict structural restraint towards a more negotiated form language. It reflects a transitional state where outside voices are still present, but begin to be processed rather than simply imposed. The ear remains the central symbolic element, while the surrounding forms become less rigid and more fluid, suggesting the early stages of adaptation and self-awareness. Through a combination of silver structures and softer, organic materials such as paper mâché, the work visualises the tension between control and release, marking a moment where discipline and personal growth start to coexist rather than conflict.