We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shengjie Jiang. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shengjie below.

Shengjie, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The cabinet wood panel paintings. I have so many small objects, stationery, trinkets, and tableware, the cabinet is where they live. It’s an important part of my daily life. I’m always putting things in, taking them out, opening and closing the doors.

The cabinet has two sides, when friends visit, the open doors show a carefully arranged display, but the messy side, along with the feelings I don’t want to share, stays hidden behind the closed doors.

When I started the cabinet series, I was also preparing to move out of the apartment I had lived in for two years. I was saying goodbye to that home, and I knew I might have to leave some of the furniture behind. Those complicated emotions of memory, separation, and attachment are all contained in those paintings. Even now, I still recall that “sour” feeling I had at that time

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I come from China. I am a painter, mainly focusing on oil paints. I earned BFA from School of Visual Arts (New York), and MFA from School of Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago). I am currently based in New York.

Frequent relocations have profoundly shaped my understanding of home. For me, home is no longer a static space but a mosaic of small, cherished objects and moments that have accompanied each journey. This transient sense of belonging fueled a deep desire to “recreate a tactile sense from memory,” I set bitterness as the emotional foundation of the work, portraying the quiet sighs of disappointment and the haunting ache of longing, moments suspended between presence and absence. My practice underscores the irreparable nature of time and memory, and a delicate balance between what is remembered and what is irretrievably lost.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to make connections with my works. Along the way, I’ve experienced both rejections and invitations. In the beginning, rejection made me doubt myself, but over time I learned to focus more on painting itself and the relationship I build with each piece.

When I center my practice on that connection, I’m less affected by outside judgments. Everyone receives both positive and negative feedback, but if I chase after those opinions blindly, I lose my own direction. For me, it’s the works themselves that shape who I am as a painter.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My approach has been to learn from established artists whose style resonates with mine or whose work I admire, since we may share a similar audience.

When I receive invitations, I try to stay cautious, especially if there are fees involved. Some opportunities can turn out to be scams. It’s important not to rush into every chance that comes along.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.caniculend.com
• Instagram: @caniculend

Image Credits

Shengjie Jiang