FOREWORD

The art of microcarving incorporates creativity, technique, and aesthetics, encompassing its unique artistic characteristics and charm. There is a long and profound historical connection between it and the high-end watchmaking industry. The Renaissance period (approximately the 14th to the 16th century) was a significant era when microcarving craftsmanship and watchmaking merged. European artists and watchmakers, driven by their shared pursuit of perfection and precision, began using micro-carving techniques to decorate watch dials, cases, and other components, providing watches with unique aesthetic value and artistic charm. 18th century, when the watchmaking industry of Europe reached its peak, the microcarving technique was also more widely applied, with their exquisite decorative details becoming one of the symbols of Haute Horlogerie.  As time passes, the hands of the timepieces express the length of time, and microcarving art and timepieces, through centuries of intermingling, continuously create one legendary masterpiece after another.

Mei Hua is a renowned master of gold microcarving, a jewelry designer, and also the Vice President of the Macau Watch and Clock Association. She has dedicated herself to creating top-tier gold microcarvings and jewelry artworks for many years. As one of the early Chinese artists to venture into wristwatch microcarving, Mei Hua gained countless praises when her first microcarving wristwatch piece, “Athena,” was unveiled at the Baselworld in Switzerland. Subsequent works further showcased her unique artistic insights and exquisite craftsmanship, demonstrating the profoundness of traditional Chinese art to the world.

Macau Timepiece Museum is honored to host Mei Hua's microcarving exhibition. For this exhibition, Mei Hua has carefully selected 26 highly representative microcarving art pieces. Through this exhibition, we believe that audiences will be amazed by Mei Hua's masterful carving techniques, and exceptional artistic accomplishments, and gain a deeper understanding of the unique beauty and artistic value that microcarving art bestows upon Haute Horlogerie. Additionally, this exhibition will present Mei Hua's artistic development and transformation, from wristwatch microcarving to three-dimensional microcarving artworks. Every detail will convey Mei Hua's contemplation and expression of art, showcasing the magical connection between the microcosmic and the macrocosmic through her ultimate exploration of the microscopic world.

Within the microcosm lies the grandeur, and within the inch lies the vast universe, highlighting the charm of micro-carving art. Artists carve out a vast world in tiny spaces, leading people beyond appearances and into the wondrous realm of the microcosm, allowing them to experience the intricacies and infinite possibilities of the universe.