What Is Chinese Luodian? 3,000 Years of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay
Chinese Luodian is a centuries-old mother-of-pearl inlay tradition that transforms natural shell into luminous images. Discover its history, technique, objects, and modern future.
3D Printing Meets Luodian: Reimagining Mother-of-Pearl Inlay for Contemporary Design
Discover how 3D printing can give Chinese Luodian—traditional mother-of-pearl inlay—new forms, from jewelry and hair accessories to lighting, objects and collectible design.
A Fragment of Shell, Three Thousand Years of Light
The story of Chinese Luodian: how artisans turned the natural shifting light of mother-of-pearl into an art form — from Western Zhou lacquer and Tang mirrors to Song, Yuan and Ming trays and Qing boxes.
Why Does Mother-of-Pearl Change Color? The Science of Nacre and Iridescence
Discover why mother-of-pearl changes color, how nacre creates its iridescent glow, and how microscopic layers transform light into shifting blues, greens, violets and golds.
The Holographic Universe: From the Cosmos to a Fragment
Explore the holographic principle, black holes and AdS/CFT—and how the relationship between the whole and the fragment inspires Nacre Cosmos.