Today we’d like to introduce you to Ziyi Huang
Hi Ziyi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been interested in painting since I was a child, and I think I owe this to my two enlightening teachers, Ms. Gao and Ms. He. The love of painting is a natural inclination for many children, but I have persisted and made it my profession. I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from China Academy of Art, and participated in an artist residency program at Cité Internationale des Arts Paris. After graduating with my master’s degree, I gradually clarified my direction in painting and participated in several exhibitions and competitions. I began pursuing my doctoral degree at China Academy of Art in 2022, and established my personal artist studio in 2023. I am currently studying at Maryland Institute College of Art as an international exchange student. I would like to thank my teachers and classmates who have been a part of my artistic journey, as well as my family who has given me so much support. I have never felt tired of painting for even a moment, and I don’t think that moment will ever come.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think the biggest struggle may be my still-in-progress PhD thesis. Academic thesis of this length and depth are challenging for me as a painting major student. But it is also a great opportunity to delve deeper into a painting theme: intimate space. I have touched on it in my previous painting practice, but have not systematically researched its origins, development and deeper contexts. So this is a challenging yet meaningful project, and I hope to gain more insights while completing the thesis.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My works are mostly oil paintings, and they involve portraits, landscapes, and still lifes. My recent works are mainly focused on landscape, with inspiration drawn from my travels abroad. When I wandered on these unfamiliar lands as an outsider, I could somehow experience a sense of familiarity. Perhaps it’s because I’ve seen these places countless times in art books, I’ve gazed at them through the eyes of the old masters. That’s Raphael’s Rome, that’s Tintoretto’s Venice, that’s Giacometti’s Paris.
The Roam and Chant in Europe series was started after I returned home from an artist residency program at Cité Internationale des Arts Paris. But when I began to paint, the memories became clear again, and much more than the clues provided by the photos. As the landscape slowly emerged on the canvas, I felt the wind from the Seine River blowing across my cheeks once again, and the sunlight in St. Mark’s Square warming me once again. That wonderland wrapped me tenderly from inside, resonating with my body. Most of what I did was in response to the silent whispers of the cities, which suggested certain unique temperaments in those complex architectural structures and subtle lights and shadows. In addition, I’m currently working on another series, Diary in Baltimore, inspired by my exchange experience at Maryland Institute College of Art. When I finish it in the future, I hope to have an opportunity to exhibit it in this city.
Many people have mentioned the quiet quality in my work, which may relate to my own personality. I tend to use restrained colors and brushstrokes to create a sense of stability and subtle atmosphere. My work includes many figurative elements because I believe the visual richness of the visible world has not yet been fully explored. In certain fleeting moments, I can sense the hidden revelations of the invisible. But I don’t force this experience, all I can do is observe and paint with a humble attitude, waiting for the invisible to reveal itself.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice is to keep painting and keep the faith of it. There can be a lot of struggles in painting process, and inspiration may not come everytime. When I was an undergraduate student, the teacher told us to treat painting like a job and to keep painting whether we have inspiration or not.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.huangziyi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joeyart123/
- Other: [email protected]
