JEWELLERY SET FOR MARY

A jewellery set made for Mary Tong Way (nee Kong) embodying the decorative style of ‘Chinoisere’.

Mary was brought up by German missionaries in Hong Kong, before immigrating to Ballarat to marry John Tong Way in 1893 in an arranged marriage. John was a catechist to the Chinese community in Ballarat.

From a catalogue of the exhibition “Wearing your heart on your sleeve - An evolution of Chinese Australian Identity”, Deakin University Art Gallery, which featured a blue silk jacket and pants owned by Mary, it was noted that she brought a select number of traditional garments with her to Australia but when she arrived she stopped wearing traditional clothing in favour of wearing European dress. She only showed the traditional garments to friends who were interested in her past.

This provided me with the idea for this small collection, to make a sculptural and wearable set that embodies the elements of both European and Chinese decorative arts. The porcelain pots including a gourd shape house the jewellery pieces which comprise of two neckpieces, a ring, earrings and a swinging brooch.

Porcelain, 925 silver, 2021

Photograph of Mary courtesy of the Gold Museum, Ballarat