Jiakun Zhang is a contemporary jewellery artist based in Birmingham. After graduating from the MA course at Birmingham City University, Jiakun had the privilege of being an Artist in Residence there. Jiakun's artistic journey has been dedicated to the exploration of narrative jewellery.

Inspired by the interplay of memory, identity, and culture, Jiakun's works explore how memories are preserved or eroded over time. Creating jewellery is akin to writing a narrative essay, using the combination of elements of time, place, and people to tell personal stories and revisit the past.

Jiakun replicates things that have disappeared to forge a connection to the past. Avoiding metaphorical abstractions, Jiakun chooses to revisit the past and history with direct responses to reality. These elements could be old newspapers and the information they carry, or old photographs with their rough textures. The work evokes a sense of time and tragedy through fragmented forms and textures. The overlapping arrangement of papers and photographs serves as a visual metaphor, much like turning the pages of a book—unfolding a narrative of memory and history. This invites the viewer to turn the pages and explore deeper private feelings and emotions, reflecting on and honouring the past.