Based in Shanghai, China, artist Baishui is pioneering a new approach to artmaking. Bringing together elements of Eastern philosophy, Western visual imagery, and employing a diverse range of methods and mediums—from painting to installation and A.I. tools—the artist’s style has been described as reflecting a system and style of “Neo-Naturalism.” While mining the traditions of the past, Baishui is forging a new future in how we think of art itself.

The artist has garnered international attention, and last year she debuted a series of monumental sculptures at Art Basel Miami Beach. Playing on the raindrop form, the sculptures invited viewers to reconsider their relationship to the natural world. Now, she is the subject of a solo show at Rong Art Space, which further brings viewers into her creative world.

We reached out to the artist to learn more about where she finds inspiration, and how developing new technologies figure into her practice.

Baishui at the 2025 Forbes China Contemporary Art Masters Award ceremony. Courtesy of the artist.

How would you describe your process? Working across such a wide variety of mediums and techniques, where do you start? Is it more organic or do you plan everything out beforehand?

I usually don’t begin with a fixed “plan,” but rather with a vague feeling or a conceptual impulse. For me, creation is more like a dialogue with the unknown—a continuous process of navigating between “form” and “idea.” Materials, mediums, and even moments of chance often become guides along the way.

Working across different mediums—painting, installation, A.I.-generated imagery, or sound—is not a deliberate pursuit of “variety,” but rather a way to find the language that best aligns with the energy or state I wish to express at that moment. I like to let the work “grow” on its own—sometimes it begins with a quiet gaze toward nature, sometimes with a passage of philosophy, an algorithmic logic, or an emotion that language cannot fully capture.

In this sense, my creative process is neither entirely intuitive nor purely rational; it exists in the constant interplay between the two—like a stream that changes course when it meets the shape of a stone yet continues flowing steadfastly in its own direction.

Baishui, Infinite Dao: Water Town 1 (2023).

How do you approach incorporating both Eastern and Western visual and philosophical traditions into your work? Are there any writers, artists, or other creatives from either culture that have influenced your work the most?

I don’t intentionally seek to “merge” Eastern and Western traditions, rather, I’m drawn to finding a fluid state in between them. Eastern philosophy emphasizes Dao Fa Zi Ran—the natural order of things—and reflects on the cyclical nature of time and the inner vitality of all beings. Western thought, on the other hand, is often more concerned with structure, form, and self-awareness. In my practice, I allow these two modes of thinking to permeate one another—where intuition and reason, the poetic and the structural, the void and the tangible coexist.

One artist who has deeply influenced me is Wu Guanzhong. His work built a visual bridge between East and West, revealing to me a form of true transformation—not a superficial blending of styles, but a resonance of spirit. At the same time, the Daoist philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi, as well as Heidegger’s meditations on “being,” have shaped how I understand the relationship between nature and humanity.

Visually, I’m equally drawn to the liubai (emptiness) of traditional ink painting and the color fields of Rothko—both evoke that subtle sense of breathing between fullness and void, a rhythm I continually seek. To me, the language of art is fluid; like water, it transcends the boundaries of culture and time, returning to the purest realm of human perception and thought.

Baishui, Infinite Dao: Water Town 6 (2023).

Can you tell us a bit about the works on view in “Water Town Ballad” at Rong Art Space and the key underpinning themes of the show?

“Water Town Ballad” is an exhibition about echoes—a dialogue that traverses both time and spirit. Using the water town as a thread, the show juxtaposes the print works of Wu Guanzhong with my new series “Infinite Dao: Water Town,” creating a rhythm that breathes within the space. For me, this exhibition is not only a tribute to a master predecessor but also an exploration of how the Eastern spirit continues to flow in our present time.

Like Wu Guanzhong, I also come from the water towns of southern China, where I spent most of my childhood. To me, “water village” has never been a geographical concept but rather a living breath. The water, mist, light, and sounds there form the background of my life and the way I perceive the world. I have always believed that water is a philosophical being—it yields yet overcomes, follows yet contains all things. In “Water Town Ballad,” I hope to use water as a way to reflect on the relationship between human and nature, past and future, matter and spirit.

“Infinite Dao: Water Town” series presented here continues my practice of co-creation with artificial intelligence. In this process, the algorithm is not merely a tool but rather an unconscious collaborator. It learns, generates, and evolves, while I select, intervene, and reconstruct. Together, we create a new visual language—allowing technology to become a path toward understanding the Tao.

Installation view of “Water Town Balled: A Dialogue Between Wu Guanzhong and Baishui” (2025). Courtesy of Rong Art Space, Shanghai.

What is the role of viewer experience in your work? What do you hope visitors of either this show or your work in general take away with them?

Watching has always been a vital part of my creative practice. Every viewer brings their own experiences and emotions to what they see, allowing the work to generate different meanings and resonances within each person. I am particularly interested in these differences—they extend the energy of the work and make the existence of art more open.

I often gain new feelings and insights from the responses of viewers; their reactions reveal emotional and intellectual dimensions beyond the work itself. For me, an exhibition is a process of communication. I hope that, in the act of viewing, audiences can enter a dialogue with their own inner selves—and that this resonance, in turn, becomes an important source of energy for my ongoing creation.

Installation view of “Water Town Balled: A Dialogue Between Wu Guanzhong and Baishui” (2025). Courtesy of Rong Art Space, Shanghai.

When did you first start incorporating A.I. in your practice? What do you hope or envision for the future of A.I. in the role of either your own practice or artmaking at large?

I have always been interested in digital technology, and around 2018 I began training artificial intelligence to co-create artworks. For me, A.I. is a powerful tool full of possibilities, but it can never replace human emotion and inspiration. In the creative process, A.I. offers new possibilities in material and texture selection, scale variation, and the realization of ideas—allowing an artist’s concepts and imagination to expand and unfold more freely. Yet human emotion and intuition function as the mind of creation, guiding the work’s direction, depth, and spiritual essence. A.I., by contrast, serves as an extension of the body—an intelligent assistant whose vast algorithms, search capabilities, and generative power help bring ideas into form.

In the age of A.I., human sensitivity and individuality become even more essential. Technology can broaden the horizon of creation, but what truly animates and empowers a work of art is the artist’s inner emotion, intuition, and philosophical reflection. While the possibilities that A.I. provide are external, the artist’s perception and thought remain the core. Looking ahead, I hope A.I. can become a companion in exploring the unknown—bringing new inspirations and methods to art across visual, sonic, and spatial dimensions. Between tradition and technology, sensibility and reason, I believe A.I. can help open new cultural dialogues while preserving the warmth and spiritual depth that define the human experience.

Baishui, detail of Infinite Dao: Water Town 6 (2023).

What’s next? Are there any new technologies that you hope to tap in your practice, or are there any projects you are currently working on that you can share with us?

My plan is to continue developing my series “Infinite Dao.” The subseries “Infinite Dao: Water Town,” which I began in 2023, extends my long-standing exploration of the theme of water. In this body of work, I experiment more boldly with form and medium. Through geometric shapes and abstract colors, I depict the essence of the water town—not by directly representing its scenery, but by allowing reason and emotion, order and fluidity, to enter dialogue on the canvas. My intention is to evoke the spiritual atmosphere of Dao Fa Zi Ran.