Soft landscape
RUI XU
Central Saint Martins UAL
Informed by Mongolian heritage and nomadic impressions of a ‘grassland life’, the ‘Soft Landscape’ project reimagines pastoral landscapes through brooches and earrings worn close to the body. The collection captures moments of interaction between animals and the natural landscape across grassland, water surfaces and open skies. Detailed surfaces of land, water and cloud, with subtle colour transitions and layered textures, are created by an innovative hybrid wool felting process that blends colour and fine-textured surfaces. In each piece, felt carries image, texture and atmosphere rather than simply acting as a soft background. Meanwhile small, finely detailed, metal animals and birds give each scene a sense of action and life. 'Soft Landscape’ presents the grassland world as a tactile miniature landscape shaped by movement, craft and material contrast. It is made for audiences from grassland communities and for global audiences interested in narrative jewellery, traditional craft references and contemporary wearable objects.