Artist's wiry enamel art a highlight in Japan

Ti Gong

"Flower Blossoms: Wanxiang," a wiry enamel artwork by a young artist from Wujing Town in Minhang District, was the highlight at a New Year reception in Osaka, Japan that marked the 50th anniversary of the signing of friendship between Shanghai and Osaka in 1974.

The enamel work, with petals "blossoming" on a mirror, attracted many Chinese and Japanese guests to pose for a photo.

The work was jointly created by Dong Hui, a wiry enamel artist from Wujing, and Hu Yiwei, a post-80s generation crossover artist.

It was said to have been inspired from the traditional Chinese philosophy of wanxiang ("万象"), which suggests a single object can be related with or reflect multiple other objects.

The work is symmetrical, with a warm color scheme on the left to symbolize good and a cold color scheme on the right to imply worry.

Its Chinese peony, ears of wheat and wings are symbols of eternity and righteousness, while some twisted curves on it reminds people of worldly worry.

All those elements are harmoniously intertwined on a mirror, as a way to reflect the author's interpretation of the Chinese philosophy of wanxiang.

"The artwork invites people to pose for a photo, as if those different individual reflections compose for the image of wanxiang," Dong said.

Previously, Dong had applied some local cultural elements of her hometown Wujing into her wiry enamel creation on bookmarks, tea trays and pendants.