Ornaments of Resonance
Ruby Yujia Zhai
Glasgow School of Art
“Ornament” refers both to adornment and musical ornamentation. My practice explores perception at a micro scale, treating jewellery as a sensory device worn close to the body. Through materials, making gestures, wearing actions, and multisensory experience, I investigate repetition, rhythm, vibration, resonance, layering, and subtle sounds created through material contact. Tensioned jeweller’s saw blades produce crisp sounds, transforming cutting into performance. Through engraving, I create tiny raised spikes resembling eyelashes or the sensory hairs of a Venus flytrap. These delicate textures encourage touch and bodily awareness, revealing overlooked sensory experiences in jewellery and creating connections between sight, sound, touch, and smell.