CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL
Bringing traditional craftsmanship into contemporary life
Not just decoration.
A way to define what stays.
WHAT IS CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL
You’ve seen this before
If you’ve ever looked at stained glass, fine jewelry, or a watch dial—
you already understand cloisonné enamel. At its simplest: fine metal wires create boundaries. Color lives within them. What draws you in is that balance: Color, held in order. Expression, held in restraint.
It traveled before it arrived in China
The origins of cloisonné enamel trace back to the Mediterranean. Early artisans shaped thin metal strips—called cloisons—to divide surfaces into small compartments, then filled them with colored enamel. Over time, this technique moved across regions and cultures,
arriving in China around the 13th–14th century. There, it was gradually reworked and refined. By the Ming dynasty, it had developed into a distinct visual language: more intricate structures, more controlled color palettes, a deeper, more stable blue—often known as Jingtai Blue.
It kept changing
At one point, it became part of the imperial court—carefully made, highly valued. Later, it returned to everyday life. Across centuries, the craft continued to evolve: new materials were introduced. Different cultural influences were absorbed, and each generation reshaped its expression. What exists today is not fixed. It is the result of continuous change.
No two pieces are ever identical
The beauty of cloisonné enamel lies in both precision and variation. Each color is placed with intention. Each section is clearly defined. But during the making process: the enamel softens, edges shift slightly, and subtle variations emerge.These differences remain. In a world built on uniformity, this kind of variation becomes rare—and meaningful.
WHY ORI CHOSE IT
Where it started for us
I first encountered cloisonné enamel at an exhibition while studying abroad.
Under the light, the colors—held in place by fine metal lines—felt calm, precise, and quietly powerful. There was a sense of order, but also something human within it. That moment stayed with me. Later, I returned to Guizhou and met Master Liu Xin and his studio—where this centuries-old craft is still practiced, and still evolving.
What we chose to keep
We chose to preserve not only the craft itself,
but the way it is made:
· Entirely handcrafted
· Open to natural variation
· Built with time, not speed
Which means: every piece is different. These differences come from the process itself—
from fire, material, and time.
Sustainability, in practice
Here, sustainability isn’t an added concept. It exists within the process:
· Work is done by hand
· Objects are made to last
· Production moves at a considered pace
It becomes a long-term relationship with objects—not a cycle of constant replacement.
Why it matters to you
Choosing a piece like this shapes how you experience things:
A slower rhythm
A clearer sense of boundaries
A presence that isn’t easily repeated
These qualities don’t ask for attention. They reveal themselves over time.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
The person behind it
Liu Xin, born in 1968 in Dushan, Guizhou, is a Master of Arts and Crafts of Guizhou Province, a Senior Arts and Crafts Artist of Guizhou Province, and Deputy Secretary-General of the Guizhou Arts and Crafts Association.
The history of Guizhou leather-bodied lacquered cloisonné can be traced back to 1381, when craftsmen from Jiangnan, sent south during the Ming dynasty, brought the technique to Guizhou. Over time, it absorbed local military-settlement culture and gradually developed into a craft with a distinct regional identity. Complex and demanding at every stage, it was once reserved for the elite. With the changes of modern times, however, it came close to disappearing.
In June 1999, while on a field visit in Huaxi, Guiyang, Liu Xin met Mr. Zhang Daoke. Mr. Zhang, a seventh-generation inheritor of the craft, came from a family that had safeguarded the technique for more than five generations and over 180 years. Learning of Liu Xin’s devotion to traditional craftsmanship, he shared the complete process orally with him. That trust, passed across generations, led Liu Xin to take on the responsibility of restoring and continuing the craft.
Over the next three years, Liu Xin devoted himself to the recovery of the technique. He organized the elder’s oral teachings, visited experienced craftsmen across different regions to verify details, and carried out repeated experiments and tests. From selecting and softening the leather base to controlling the temperature and humidity during lacquering, from refining the adhesive formula to precisely outlining the cloisons in the cloisonné process, he worked to faithfully reconstruct every step of the traditional method. In the end, he successfully revived this long-lost craft, bringing renewed life to a heritage art that had nearly faded into silence.
How it’s made
This is a complex enamelling process involving multiple stages:
· Forming the base structure
· Applying layers of natural lacquer
· Preparing traditional adhesives
· Hand-shaping fine metal wires (cloisons)
· Filling with colored enamel
· Repeated kiln firing and polishing
Each step is done by hand,
with careful attention to material, timing, and environment.
The studio
The studio works on a small scale:
A dedicated team,
A steady rhythm,
A commitment to traditional methods.
At the same time, it continues to explore new expressions—
bringing this craft into contemporary contexts.
Since 2002, over 100 works have been collected by private collectors in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
What you’re holding
When you hold a piece,
you are holding:
A process rebuilt over time,
A group of people committed to it,
And a result that will never happen in exactly the same way again