Exhibition Overview
 

Shaping: Metalsmiths Dual Dialogue was a two-person exhibition curated by Veronique Chen, presenting the works of artists Xuemei Huang and Dengqian Xu at No Format Gallery, London. The exhibition was selected as part of Deptford X 2023 Fringe Projects, an annual visual arts festival in southeast London. 
 

The exhibition explored the relationship between metal, material transformation and contemporary artistic expression. Taking inspiration from Deptford’s historical connection with metalworking, the project brought together two artists whose practices engage with metal and found materials through different approaches.
 

Xuemei Huang’s works explore the relationship between natural transformation and material qualities. Inspired by the philosophy of Tao Te Ching, her practice uses rusted metal to create a contrast between the material’s hardness and a sense of subtlety and poetic expression.
 

Dengqian Xu’s practice examines his emotional relationship with metal and associations with violence. Through performance and installation, his works explore encounters with metal as a cold and resistant material, reflecting on physical confrontation and emotional experience.
 

Through presenting these two artistic approaches together, the exhibition created a dialogue between different perspectives on metal as both a physical material and a medium for artistic exploration. The project connected contemporary art practices with the local industrial history of Deptford, positioning material, place and artistic interpretation within the same exhibition context.