Jessie X.Z.

About

As an interdisciplinary artist, jeweller, new media creator, and psychological artist, I am deeply interested in the interaction between emotions, cognition, and the physical world. My artistic practice is a continuous exploration of the nature of intrusive memories caused by different factors, integrating various media and technologies to explore the cyclical regeneration of emotions and cognition, with the fermentation and materialization of memories. This interest stems from my personal experiences with ADHD and PTSD, and how these conditions have shaped my perception and interaction with the world.

I was born in China, spent a decade in Toronto, Canada, and relocated to the UK two years ago. My artistic journey began with traditional goldsmithing in Canada and evolved to embrace digital tools like ZBrush and 3D printing at Birmingham City University. At the Royal College of Art, my work transformed further through material experiments, exploring Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence and engaging in chemical reactions, and creating ink from ashes, leading to innovative digital art, animation, and interactive installations.

My work is deeply influenced by my studies in philosophy and psychology, particularly the concept of eternal recurrence and cognitive therapy. These theories provide a framework for my exploration of intrusive memories and emotional cycles. By transforming personal emotions into art, I aim to provoke the audience to reflect on their own memories and experiences.

A recurring theme in my work is the transformation and regeneration of emotions. This is exemplified in my independent research project, this cyclical process symbolizes cognitive restructuring and the perpetual nature of emotional processing: paper filled with text is burned to ashes, then the ashes are made into ink, which is sent back to the writing machine to continue writing, like an assembly line where emotions are constantly processed and transformed, eventually returning to their original form in a new way.

“ If your life were to unfold in an infinite loop, with every detail replayed exactly as before, how would you approach your life?

If your emotions were to be endlessly repeated, all events have occurred countless times in the past in the same form and set to do so in the future, in a gradually accumulating endless cycle, how would you handle these emotions? ”

My record of emotions over the past ten years, supported by my therapist, resonates with my installation design: by burning the written dates and times (which correspond to the past traumas I’ve recorded) into ashes, and then transforming the ashes into ink for continuous writing, it is a process of cognitive restructuring—recognizing and changing negative thought patterns. This cyclical processing of emotions is key to managing and changing depressive patterns, avoiding nihilism. It aligns with my interpretation of Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence: you will always experience everything—the pain, fear, and misfortune that has happened in the past and will happen in the future will continuously accompany you, repeating endlessly. Your downfall will only make you suffer more each time. So you must stand up and find a way to make yourself less miserable in the endless and repetitive suffering. 

The concept of eternal recurrence means we only exist in the present; only this moment is real, and you must face yourself honestly. I hope to provoke the audience’s reflection on their own memories by transforming personal emotions into an art installation. This is about the cycle of emotions, which is both personal and universally present in society. Everyone experiences emotional ups and downs, pain, and self-reconciliation—these emotions are a shared human experience. Through this installation, I hope the audience can experience the release and regeneration of emotions, symbolized by continuous reflection and cognitive restructuring, and reflect on their ways of dealing with emotions.