“What do I want to express? What am I drawn to?”

How do we find an artistic language that truly belongs to us?

For independent artist Naxin, the process is not about searching for a fixed “style,” but about continually returning to two questions: What do I want to express? What am I drawn to?

From her early engagement with visual narrative to her gradual turn toward abstraction, and from the traces left by mineral pigments, soil, and wood to the recurring presence of light and inner space in her paintings, Naxin is interested in experiences that resist straightforward verbal description.

In this edition of Artist Voice, ArtID speaks with Naxin about artistic education, materiality, abstraction, personal language, and what it means for a young artist to continue pursuing what she genuinely wants to express.

Q. How did you move from visual narrative toward abstraction and develop your own artistic language?

A. My early work focused more on visual storytelling, but over time I realized that what I truly wanted to express was something more internal—emotion, memory, time, and subtle connections between people and nature.

That gradually led me toward abstraction. I never intentionally tried to “find a style.” Instead, I kept asking myself two questions: What do I want to express? What am I drawn to? My artistic language slowly formed through that process.

A pale blue abstract painting by Naxin with red and blue curved forms.
Artwork by Naxin. Image courtesy of the artist.

Q. What draws you to mineral pigments and natural materials?

A. I think every material has its own personality. I am drawn to texture, traces, and surfaces that retain the marks of time and making.

Mineral pigments are especially fascinating because of their particles, luminosity, and layered colors. I also work with soil, paper pulp, acrylic, and wood. For me, material is not just a tool—it is part of the language of the artwork itself.

Q. Why do light, inner space, and time appear so often in your work?

A. We live in a very fast and overloaded world, and people can easily lose touch with their own feelings.

My work comes from a process of looking inward. Light and abstract symbols in my paintings are not meant to represent specific objects; they express a quieter state of perception and reconnection with oneself.

I hope my work can offer viewers a moment to step away from the outside world and return to themselves.

“Material is not just a tool—it is part of the language of the artwork itself.”

ARTWORKS

A soft pink and mineral-toned abstract painting by Naxin on a white wall.
Artwork by Naxin. Image courtesy of the artist.
A dark blue and textured abstract painting by Naxin with a pale crescent-like form.
Artwork by Naxin. Image courtesy of the artist.
A pale blue abstract painting by Naxin with red and blue curved forms.
Artwork by Naxin. Image courtesy of the artist.

EDITORIAL NOTE

This interview has been added as real artist content. Final publication date, image credits, and artist review confirmation can be updated when available.

ABOUT NAXIN

Naxin is an independent artist based in Hangzhou, China. Her practice explores inner perception and spiritual space through abstract painting, mineral pigments, and natural materials.

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