Breath and Humidity – 江演媚 JIANG, Yanmei

Breath and Humidity is a series of large-scale abstract paintings that explores the physical sensation of memory and the continuous flow of energy. Drawing from my childhood in Guangzhou, a subtropical coastal city defined by its dense, enveloping humidity, I approach the unstretched canvas with a natural, grey, and moist atmosphere.

《呼吸与湿度》是一系列大尺幅抽象绘画，旨在探索记忆的物理感知与能量的绵延流动。我的童年在家乡广州度过，那是一座被浓郁、氤氲的湿气所定义的亚热带沿海城市。受此启发，我在没有装裱的画布上营造出一种自然、灰调且潮湿的氛围。

In these works, I use Chinese shuimo painting and glazing techniques to mimic the way water vapor softens edges and dissolves boundaries. Yet, within this atmospheric blur, energetic brushstrokes anchor the compositions. Trained in traditional Chinese calligraphy, I rely on the muscle memory of writing to translate internal rhythms (“Qi”) into visible action. The sudden flashes of saturated reds and oranges emerging from the misty backgrounds are deeply rooted in cultural rituals, evoking the worship ceremony and the festive colors of traditions.

在这些作品中，我运用水墨画和罩染技法，模拟水汽柔化边缘、消融边界的过程。然而，在这片氛围感的模糊之中，充满能量的笔触成为了画面的锚点。得益于传统的中国书法训练，我依靠书写的肌肉记忆，将内在的节奏（“气”）转化为可见的行动。那些从雾蒙蒙的背景中突然闪现的高饱和度红色与橙色，深深扎根于文化仪式之中，唤起了祭祀大典与传统节庆的色彩。

Breath represents the active, living energy of the body in motion; Humidity is the lingering, suspended weight of cultural memory. Together, they create a visual tension that navigates between the physical reality of my overseas life and the fluid, spiritual landscape of my origins.

“呼吸”代表了运动中身体活跃的生命能量；“湿度”则是文化记忆那挥之不去、悬浮于半空的重量。两者交织，创造出一种视觉张力，在我海外生活的现实与我故乡那流动的精神景观之间，往返穿梭。