Huang Xiaozhe grew up under an authoritarian system, where rules were strict and choices scarce. It was not until adulthood, when she physically left the environment that she was born into, that she realized wanting alternatives is not a sin. To fulfil her passion of creating, she has quit her decade-long marketing management profession, moved to Venice and dedicate her time to making jewellery and objects. Within the Venetian lagoon, she found a profound connection with glass as a material, resonating with its transformative journey and the challenges it overcomes to achieve liberation. The mixed media pieces intend to investigate the conflict and complexed relationship between individuals and society. The metal components represent the ruthless ruling; the stable architectural structures express the stability and protection that a strong authoritarian system once provided, albeit while operating in an oversimplified and distorted reality. The colourful glass is a celebration of an independent identity free from profession, nation, language, and ideological exclusiveness.

Huang Xiaozhe (born in Beijing, China) is a contemporary jewellery and glass artist currently living and working in Venice, Italy. Before dedicating herself fully to her creative practice, she spent more than a decade building a successful corporate career across Milan and Hong Kong, eventually serving as Asia Pacific Marketing and Communications Director for M·A·C Cosmetics at the Estée Lauder Companies. She holds a master degree in Art Management from the University of Bologna. She received metalsmith training at Hong Kong Baptist University, Orafa Ambrosiana, and Alchimia. She has also attended glass workshops with Lucio Bubacco, Simone Crestani, Alessia Fuga and Sibelle Yuksek.

The antique Venetian lamp-working technique is the foundation of the creation process. Each piece begins with a design phase that involves sketches and modeling. The making process starts with a careful selection of color combinations from glass rods. Using a high-temperature torch, the glass rods are heated to a molten state, allowing the glass to be shaped with precision. Once the design is complete, the piece undergoes an annealing process, which involves slowly cooling the glass in a kiln to relieve internal stresses and enhance its strength and durability.

The artist uses both Effetre Murano Glass and Borosilicate glass, depending on the design. Effetre Murano Glass is a world-renowned sculptural soft glass, a variety of soda-lime glass that originated from the island of Murano. Since the Middle Ages, Murano glass has been recognized as the center of glass art, known for its refined creations and a rare, clear, and wide variety of vibrant colored glass. Borosilicate glass is a type of glass with silica and boron trioxide as its main components. It is known for having a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, making it resistant and suitable for hollow and scaled design pieces.

Drawing from the heritage of Venetian glassmaking while embracing a distinctly contemporary artistic language, Huang Xiaozhe’s work and atelier, Spazio Vivo, have been featured in international fashion, culture, and local community publications. Explore a selection of recent press coverage below. “Rooted in the centuries-old tradition of Venetian lamp-working, Huang Xiaozhe creates contemporary jewellery and objects that transform glass into a language of freedom, identity, and possibility.” — Vanity Fair Italia “Through Spazio Vivo, Huang Xiaozhe has created a place where craftsmanship, creativity, and community meet.” — Gente Veneta