Fresh Faces: Kina Hassan

Sculptural jewellery at the intersection of  art and fashion

F&M’s Fresh Faces is a series featuring young Southeast Asian fashion practitioners, where we speak with them about how they embarked on their careers and what propels them as creatives.

Kina Hassan is a Malaysian jewellery artist whose practice serves as an exploration of self-expression. She honed her craft in Bangkok and Istanbul before establishing her bespoke jewellery brand, WASIS Studio in 2019. The brand focuses on contemporary sculptural pieces that are at the intersection of art and fashion. They draw inspiration from personal experiences and common objects Kina encounters in her daily life.

Kina Hassan.

To start, could you talk about your background? At what point did you decide to pursue a career as a jewellery artist?

My path to becoming a jewellery artist is not very straightforward. I was born and raised in Kuala Terengganu, a small coastal town in Eastern Malaysia. Although the east coast states are among the least developed parts of the country, the beauty of traditional Malay art and culture were very much part of my everyday life.

Growing up, I was creative and curious. I remember from when I was as young as 5 years old, I tried to create sculptures by carving soft river stones using some tools that I found. I would collect seeds of job's tears, seashells, and bunga tanjung to make necklaces and bracelets to sell at school. As a child living in a small town, l had a lot of freedom to explore my surroundings and I played with whatever I could find around me. I grew to appreciate these experiences more as I grew older, even after leaving my hometown as a young adult to move to the city.

I have been interested in pursuing a creative career since I was in school, but I did not pursue creative education in college. Instead, I moved to Kuala Lumpur to pursue a Bachelor of Human Sciences in English Language and Literature at International Islamic University Malaysia. After I graduated, I went on to work in marketing. It is through these marketing roles that I found the opportunity to live in Bangkok and Istanbul.  

Despite not pursuing the creative path professionally, I had not forgotten my passion for the arts and kept immersing myself in art events, though more as an audience and an observer, rather than as a doer or a participant. It was only after living in Bangkok for a few years that I found the creative confidence to take the first step. I signed up for an introductory jewellery-making class with Thai designer, Chaiwat Wattananukit in late 2014 as a birthday present for myself.

This opened up a whole new experience for me as I became absorbed in the process and forgot about everything else during the lesson — that was when I knew that this was my calling. I moved to Istanbul the following year and started taking lessons with Turkish jewellery artist, Selen Özus, who introduced me to the world of contemporary jewellery. Then, I took more lessons with Thai jewellery artist, Rudee Tancharoen in Bangkok where I also had the opportunity to join a workshop by Sophie Hanagarth and Yiumsiri Vantanapindu. It was at the end of 2019 that I finally found the courage to pursue jewellery design full-time and started WASIS Studio.

Annealing process. Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

What are the themes, ideas, or subjects piquing your interest at the moment? What or who are the main influences your work draws upon?

At the moment, I am exploring lines and the idea of manipulating materials that result in them appearing as something else. I love the work of jewellery artists such as Otto Künzli, Marc Monzó, Peter Bauhuis, David Bielander, Jacquline Rabun, Alexander Calder, and Kayo Saito, among others. But my work is mostly influenced by daily experiences from the past to the present, mainly by nature, architecture, literature, human psyche and emotions, everyday objects, and symbolism. Sometimes, I would just let intuition and touch lead the way, which will often subconsciously draw upon my childhood experiences.

WASIS Studio, ‘Amal’ (2021). Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

Could you describe the initial process of creating your jewellery brand WASIS Studio? What was the story behind it?

When I decided to create WASIS Studio, I was already practising jewellery-making for five years, but more as a passion project because I was too scared of not getting a regular income if I left my full-time job. I moved back to Malaysia to care for my late mother. When she passed about a year and a half later, my life was riddled with uncertainties. She had asked where I saw things going with my jewellery practice. I could not answer her at the time because I felt lost and alone when I moved back to my small hometown, as I had become used to living in big cities for over a decade. I also could not find any local community of jewellery makers to connect with.

I was on a self-discovery trip to Morocco in 2018 when I discovered Lucy Walker Jewellery, a jewellery studio in Kuala Lumpur that offered membership with benches for rent. I realised that I had found the community that I was looking for in my home country and I joined as soon as I returned. While at Lucy's, we would sometimes have studio bazaars and at the beginning, l was making one-off contemporary pieces. But I realised that there was very little appreciation for this kind of jewellery in the local market. In the last hour, I had to be pragmatic, and came up with something to recoup my expenses and try to make some sales. I designed two made-to-order earrings inspired by my recent trip to Morocco, and these turned out to be the best sellers.

These designs were then developed into my first collection of 11 earrings, Nuda, inspired by basic life lessons seen through the shapes of my past travels. This collection gave me the push that I needed to do this full time and l decided to call it WASIS instead of having a namesake brand because the jewellery pieces that I create are not just about myself, but about the human experience. I believe we are what we are today because of what we have experienced. What was becomes what is. People seek to understand their history and their roots so they can make sense of their presence and shape a better future.

WASIS Studio, ‘with a twist’ brooch from ‘Crease, Crumple, Fold’ (2022). Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

WASIS Studio, ‘if you feel something, say something’ necklace from ‘Crease, Crumple, Fold’ (2022). Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

Let’s talk about the brand’s recent collection, ‘Crease, Crumple, Fold’. How would you describe it and how did you come up with the concept?

The concept actually came about during a workshop I took with Sophie Hanagarth in 2017. During the workshop, we were required to create random shapes with play dough, then repeat those shapes in different malleable materials like clay and salt dough. The process was very tactile and I found it appealing because I could express myself with touch, and senses in general. This tactility is also what got me into making sculptures and ceramics.

 This idea has been in the back of my head, but it only came up again when I found these models from the workshop while cleaning up during the pandemic. Around the same time, I came across this fascinating article by Ellen Sampson, exploring the idea of material memories which helped to articulate what I want to do with this collection. The pieces were made during the height of the pandemic, each a manifestation of the state of emotion flowing at the time. It is an imprint of touches and gestures; intentionally creased, crumpled, and folded by hand into shape—a record of lived experience.

“The pieces were made during the height of the pandemic, each a manifestation of the state of emotion flowing at the time. It is an imprint of touches and gestures; intentionally creased, crumpled, and folded by hand into shape—a record of lived experience.”

WASIS Studio, ‘Crease, Crumple, Fold’ (2022). Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

Could you share more of the creative and technical process of creating the collection? What were the biggest challenges that you faced and how did you solve them?

For this collection, I formed and shaped the pieces with soft wax by hand before having them cast in sterling silver using the lost wax casting method. The excess metal on these silver pieces was then filed off before soldering and attaching the findings. Then, I put them in a pickle solution to remove the fire scales before they could be cleaned and polished. Once polished, I oxidised and blackened them using a sulphur mix.

Metal filing process. Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

Cast pieces of the jewellery. Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

As for my creative process, I usually start by having an idea or a theme that I want to explore before proceeding to do some reading or research on the subject to provide me with the references I need. I will let these thoughts and ideas brew in my mind by sleeping on them or going for a walk — a process that is usually followed by me jotting down whatever comes to mind and sketching mindlessly. I am a kinaesthetic learner and it applies to the way I work. I create maquettes for my pieces instead of relying on drawings, which I am not the best at. I will only proceed with making the piece in metal when I have made the necessary changes with my maquettes.

The biggest challenge to making this collection would be the high cost of casting, as I do not have the skills to do it myself. The high cost is also due to a big jump in metal prices since the pandemic, with a lack of casting places in Malaysia and limited choices of metal available. Instead of having my samples cast in brass or bronze, I could only do it in silver or gold, and as a result, I decided to release it as a limited collection.

On your website, you noted that you were trained by jewellery artists in Bangkok and Istanbul. How have your experiences influenced the way you design and market your brand?

My experiences have largely influenced the way I carry out my work. For one, I do not follow any specific rules when it comes to designing and making my jewellery pieces. I also took sculpture workshops while living in Istanbul, and it has influenced the way I create jewellery pieces, especially when it comes to wax working.

Wax model of ‘Crease, Crumple, Fold’ collection. Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

To be honest, I find it challenging to market my work because I still lack knowledge of how certain things work in the fashion and jewellery industries. Hence, I am always learning new things with lots of costly trial and error involved. Every once in a while, I need to rethink the brand’s direction while trying to stay true to my intentions. What works in Istanbul and Bangkok — for example, having an exhibition in a jewellery gallery/space does not work in Malaysia because of the lack of awareness of contemporary jewellery as an art form and the rarity of the practice.

Are there any specific materials or techniques that are your favourite to work with?

I love working with wax as it allows me to shape it into anything, and it is very tactile! However, until I find a more cost-effective solution to my casting predicament, I will not be able to produce much using this technique. I also have an affinity towards brass as it provides a personal link to my hometown and heritage.

WASIS Studio, ‘Terra-Nu’ (2022). Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

WASIS Studio has collaborated with Malaysian fashion brands such as Nelissa Hilman, Ana Abu, and Alia Bastamam. As an emerging Southeast Asian jewellery artist in Malaysia, what are some of the key challenges you face, and equally opportunities that you seek?

One of the key challenges that I face is positioning my work and conveying the right messages to the brand’s audiences. Early on, I realised that my practice is very niche and to make it work in Malaysia, I needed to balance the marketability aspect. Working on collaborations with these fashion brands has not only positioned my brand at the intersection of art and fashion, but also helped me to place my work in the local scene, and reach different demographics.

Other challenges I have faced are funding and not having a team to assist me with tasks. WASIS has been and still is a one-woman show since its inception. Naturally, there is plenty of room for improvement. Although my professional background is in marketing, it is not the same when trying to do it while designing, making, and running a business. There is also a lack of awareness and appreciation of contemporary jewellery, especially when working with non-precious or alternative materials. The local market mostly perceives the value based on material and not so much on artistic value.

While dipping my toes in fashion helps in sustaining my practice, I am also seeking opportunities for artist/gallery representations, jewellery residencies, exhibitions, and participation in international jewellery weeks such as Munich Jewellery Week, NYC Jewellery Week, and Radiant Pavilion in Melbourne as a few examples.

“Although my professional background is in marketing, it is not the same when trying to do it while designing, making, and running a business.”

WASIS Studio, ‘Terra-Nu’ (2022). Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

WASIS Studio, ‘Terra-Nu’ (2022). Image courtesy of Kina Hassan.

Finally, what plans do you have in store for your practice moving forward?

I dream of working on a collaboration with Cecilie Bahnsen and Simone Rocha someday! But for now, I want to kickstart a project that I have been planning for a long time, which is a collaboration with traditional brass makers in my hometown. It is a dying industry with only a few ageing artisans left, so I hope I could get this done before it is too late.

There is also a plan to come out with a diffusion line hopefully next year for entry-level, fashion-forward pieces — all with my design aesthetics. It will help me to position my work by separating the two, and having WASIS primarily for bespoke pieces and one-of-a-kind contemporary jewellery and objects.

This will allow me to stock pieces from the diffusion line in international design stores and with online stockists, which is simply not possible at the moment with one person making everything, and running the whole show. To do this, I need to seek funding, form a small yet effective team, and look for ethical and sustainable small-batch manufacturers. If you believe in my work and want to support or be part of this project, I encourage you to get in touch, and let's have a chat!

See more of Kina’s work here. Visit WASIS Studio’s website here, or on Instagram at @wasisstudio.