Artist Profile Ruiting Xu

Xu’s modular sculptures transform reclaimed materials into a rich inquiry into the rituals of sustainability and material heritage.

Artist Statement

Unearth is a sculptural trio of vases that explores sustainable living through the language of material reuse, transformation, and interaction. At its core, the project asks: how can design elevate recycled materials beyond function into meaning and emotional connection?

Each vase in the trio pairs an outer shell made from reclaimed wood with a distinct inner core – one transparent, one opaque and one reflective. While their inner forms differ in color, material and finish, all three are unified by their relationship to the same recycled exterior. This juxtaposition creates a layered dialogue between natural aging and human refinement, between waste and renewal. The reclaimed wood used for the outer shells is selected for its character which is visible wear and irregularity, retaining the material’s history while giving it new life. Rather than leave the surfaces raw, each shell is painted in a consistent tone, both to protect the aged wood and to create a visual unity across the trio. This gesture allows the viewer to focus not on superficial variation but on deeper contrasts: in texture, construction and interaction.

Inside each shell is a sculptural core. Two are 3D printed from a biodegradable, bio-based material made from over 50% renewable sources, including more than 20% soya. The printing process itself is optimized to reduce material waste and support low-energy fabrication. The third is cast in metal, offering a striking contrast in weight, durability, and reflectivity. This combination of organic and industrial materials invites reflection on the different forms that permanence and impermanence can take in sustainable design.

Each vase also opens differently. One slides apart, another lifts in two pieces, and the third requires a puzzle-like unlocking. These varying methods of assembly echo the concept of layered engagement; sustainability not as a one-time decision, but as an evolving relationship. By encouraging users to engage differently with each object, Unearth highlights how material awareness and environmental care can be cultivated through daily rituals.

Unearth serves as a meditation on reuse, not only as a way of conserving resources but as a method of storytelling. The project proposes that recycling is not simply about extending the life of materials, but about transforming our relationship to them: seeing discarded wood as heritage, bio-materials as sculpture and interaction as an act of care.

Artist Biography

Ruiting Xu is an award-winning designer working across architecture, objects, and research. With a background in both architecture and interior design, she explores the intersections of ecological systems, material reuse, and spatial storytelling. Her work engages with circular design, balancing experimental form with environmental responsibility. Xu holds a Master of Architecture from SCI-Arc. Her projects have been exhibited internationally, including at ICFF and 3daysofdesign, and have received honors such as the A’ Design Award, Muse Design Awards, and DNA Paris Design Awards. Recent work includes The Vessel Type, a climate-adaptive framework for water infrastructure that bridges environmental research with community-centered design.