ZHUOJIA

The Citrus Project

I created a citrus bra for this project. I made the cup of the bra using grapefruit since it wasn't big enough. I had to cut along one side of the skin to slightly flatter and expand it. For the front strap of the bra, I used orange skin to decorate it. For the rest of the parts, I used a dark green fabric to hold everything together. I notice that this bra has a very strong citrus aroma that follows the wearer everywhere goes.

Out of The Box

Around You is an installation that illuminates a social issue- Homelessness. In a city of more than 8.4 million people, approximately one in every 125 New Yorkers is homeless. However, we live in a busy city, where we mind our own business, so it is easy to become indifferent to the homelessness problem around us. The goal of this installation is to illustrate this social problem, invite us to confront it and raise awareness.

Aromatic Avatar

I made a glasses chain. I made this chain out of cereal and jolly ranchers. It has a fruity and sweet aroma. It’s a colorful and fun accessory that allows you to hang your glasses on your neck when you don’t need it. Or maybe even take a bite out of it when you’re hungry.

Protective Face Masks

I made a Croissant mask. I glued a croissant from Starbucks to the mask, taped some pieces of chocolate and Pocky sticks onto it. As for the srossiant , I heated it up to bring out that bakery aroma that I can smell even through the mask. The smell of breakfast food can really boost the wearer’s appetite, so to have it on a mask, must be a really stimulating and hunger-inducing experience.

The Poetry of Longing

Many -colored are my garments; I am like a flower.

Now in long curves the Spirt has come down

In a blaze of brightness unending.

Chien! * He is coming to rest at the Abode of Life *

As a sun, as a moonbeam glows his light.

In a dragon chariot and the vestment of a god

Hither and thither a little while he moves

The Spirit in great majesty came down;

Now he soars up swiftly amid the clouds.

Ritual Alter

This is my installation for the ritual altar. My inspiration comes from the Chinese holiday, Tomb Sweeping Day. On this traditional day meant to honor the dead, we use fruits and dishes as offerings for our ancestors, and burn incenses and candles. So I decided to make a candlestick and fruit bowl. It is made of laser cut chip board and for the candlestick, I have wires supporting it to hold the shape in place. I got my inspiration for the shapes of these two items from seeing the rising smoke of from burned incense during this event, and I feel that having this similar form for these items kind of resemble our wishes flowing to the ancestors. I actually want to take these creations further and make them a final product by the end of the semester. I will use thin steel strips and hot roll them to create this. I expect this installation have a smell that’s a mixture of fruity scents and the smell of the incense being burned.