BIO
Profile
Caiyang Yin (Curtis Yin) is a contemporary jewellery artist and PhD researcher based in Glasgow, UK. While his meticulously crafted chasing and repoussé relief brooches have become the most recognised aspect of his practice, his work is fundamentally concept-led rather than medium-led. Moving between precious metals, digital sculpting, kinetic mechanisms and industrial fabrication processes, he adopts each technique as a means of developing and communicating ideas. His work explores the relationship between digital culture, social behaviour and contemporary jewellery, positioning craft as a vehicle for expression rather than an end in itself.
Education
2023–Present: PhD in Design, The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, UK
2016–2018: MFA Jewellery and Silversmithing, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
2015–2019: MA Design, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, China
2011–2015: BA Jewellery Design, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, China
Selected Awards and Bursaries
2024
Shortlisted, Japan Jewellery Competition, Tokyo, Japan
2023
Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, London, UK:
Silver Award, 3D Craft Junior — Chasers
Silver Award, 3D Craft Junior — Jewellers
Bronze Award, 3D Craft Junior — Silversmiths
Bronze Award, 3D Craft Junior — Smallworkers and Model Makers
Bronze Award, 3D Design — Smallworkers
Special Council Bursary Award
2022
Best Emerging Jeweller, Elements Festival, Edinburgh, UK
The Silver Society Prize for Silversmithing, London, UK
The ACJ Dr Mahtab Hanna Award, Birmingham, UK
2021
Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, London, UK:
Gold Award — Conceptual Jewellery,
Gold Award — Jeweller Craft,
Bronze Award — Precious Jewellery in Silver,
Bronze Award — Ready-to-Wear Jewellery
2019
Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, London, UK:
The Podolsky Award,
Gold Award — Precious Metal Jewellery,
Silver Award — Fashion-Led Jewellery,
Silver Award — Chasers Junior,
Goldsmiths’ Fair Graduate Bursary, London, UK
Outstanding Postgraduate, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, China
2018
Highly Commended, Scottish Gemmological Association Gemset Jewellery Design Competition, Edinburgh, UK
New Designers: One Year In Spotted, London, UK
Precious Metal Grant, The Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
2017
Highly Commended, Scottish Gemmological Association Gemset Jewellery Design Competition, Stirling, UK
Selected Art Fairs
2023–2025
Collect, London, UK
2022
Goldsmiths North, Sheffield, UK
Goldsmiths’ Fair, London, UK
Elements Festival, Edinburgh, UK
2021
Goldsmiths’ Fair, London, UK
Elements Festival, Edinburgh, UK
2020
Goldsmiths North, Sheffield, UK
Goldsmiths’ Fair, online
2019
New Designers: One Year In, London, UK
2018
New Designers, London, UK
2017
Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, Hong Kong
Selected Group Exhibitions
2022
Meanings and Messages, Association for Contemporary Jewellery Touring Exhibition, UK
2020
Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Award Winners Retrospective, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, UK
Growth and Evolution International Jewellery Exhibition, Kunming and Beijing, China
DBC International Art Jewellery Expo, Beijing, China
2019
Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Award Winners Exhibition, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, UK
Flux, Birmingham City University School of Jewellery Artist in Residence Exhibition, Vittoria Street Gallery, Birmingham, UK
London International Jewellery Exhibition, London, UK
Cluster Jewellery Edition, London, UK
Beijing International Jewelry Art Exhibition, Beijing, China
2018
Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show, Edinburgh, UK
Best of the Degree Show, Six Foot Gallery, Glasgow, UK
2017
Benchlife: Work in Progress, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, UK
Selected Collections
2023
Untitled 2023, brooch, National Museums NI, Belfast, UK
Indifferent, brooch, Alsolike, London, UK
2022
Scream Box, The Pearson Silver Collection, UK
2021
Elements of Power, tiara, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, USA
2020
Catherine Wheel, brooch, Wartski, London, UK
Press
Sparkle! Gifts of Contemporary Jewelry from Robert Hiller (2024)
https://www.nelson-atkins.org/art/exhibitions/sparkle-gifts-contemporary-jewelry-robert-hiller/
Meanings & Messages – ACJ's 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition (2023)
https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/whats-on/meanings-messages-acjs-25th-anniversary-touring-exhibition
New names to see at this year’s Collect art fair (2023)
https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/stories/new-names-to-see-at-this-years-collect-art-fair
News Release: Golden night for the GSA at GCDC Awards
https://gsapress.blogspot.com/2023/03/news-release-golden-night-for-gsa-at.html
2022 The Silver Society Prize for Silver Smithing
https://www.thesilversociety.org/about-us/silver-society-prize/
2021 Janice Hosegood in Coversation with Caiyang Yin
https://www.goldsmithsfair.co.uk/janice-hosegood-in-conversation-with-caiyang-yin/
Lyon & Turnbull’s Elemental Fair is the Finest (2021)
https://artmag.co.uk/lyon-turnbulls-elemental-fair-is-the-finest/
2021 Goldsmiths' Fair Bryna Pomp Selects
https://www.goldsmithsfair.co.uk/bryna-pomp-selects/
2020 Crafts Magazine Sep/Oct issue
2020 Golsmiths North Exhibitior
https://goldsmithsnorth.com/portfolio/caiyang-yin/
Talisman & Amulets: Protective Jewelry in the Age of Covid (2020)
https://www.mobilia-gallery.com/exhibits/talisman-amulets-protective-jewelry-in-the-age-of-covid/
2019 BBC Culture: Why more men are wearing jewellery
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20190924-why-more-men-are-wearing-jewellery
2019 Benchpeg: New Designers 2019 sparkles with a strong focus on Jewellery
https://benchpeg.com/news/new-designers-2019-sparkles-with-a-strong-focus-on-jewellery
Professional Roles
2023–Present
Advisory Panel Member, Association for Contemporary Jewellery
2021–2023
Early Career Representative, Association for Contemporary Jewellery
2018–2022
Artist in Residence, School of Jewellery, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK