We recently connected with Caijing Kuang and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Caijing, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I have a project called “Hello? Are you there?”. This project is deeply personal to me, inspired by my grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer’s. The time difference and her fluctuating state of clarity make it increasingly difficult to connect with her. This experience drove me to explore themes of time and memory, and the feeling of being trapped within time.

I experimented with monoprinting techniques, where each print is unique. By repeatedly printing the same metal plate with hand-drawn, collaged, and textured elements, I created different layers and textures. These fragmented and blurry textures reminded me of incomplete memories, revealing the narrative potential of monoprinting.

A central element of this project is the door, symbolizing connection and transition from one place to another. In the context of my project, the door also hints at the unknown, just like how we never know which memory my grandmother will drift into next. For her, memories are like a maze. She wanders through them, with the passage of time losing its meaning. She can only loop through these fragments of memories in her daily life.

I feel like I’m calling out into a void, asking, “Hello, are you there?” I can’t reach her world, but through this project, I hope to bridge the distance just a little.

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

Hello, my name is Caijing Kuang, and I am an illustrator and printmaker. I studied literature and education during my undergraduate years and only began studying illustration in graduate school, which is how I entered the art world. I now take on commissions, such as editorial illustrations, packaging illustrations, and picture books. Recently, I’ve also started preparing to sell my printmaking works and plan to offer custom print projects gradually.

When creating my prints, I add textures to metal plates and use cut-out patterns to repeatedly print the same plate, creating layers and details. The randomness of monoprints makes each piece unique and unrepeatable, so every print is one-of-a-kind.

My work mainly falls into two categories: digital illustrations created in Procreate, where I enjoy capturing the details and fragments of life, and printmaking, where I like to capture sensitive emotions. My prints are connected to memories and emotions, and I like to infuse my feelings into the creation process. My prints often feature plants and portraits.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Starting from scratch in a new field is very challenging. Additionally, growing up in a traditional East Asian family, becoming an artist was considered unconventional. When I was working on my portfolio during my gap year, I faced a lot of pressure from my family. However, I persevered and successfully applied to a school in the UK.

At the beginning of the term, I felt anxious because I hadn’t received formal art training before. But I soon realized this could be an advantage because it meant my style wasn’t confined by traditional art training methods. During workshops, I experimented with different types of printmaking and eventually fell in love with monotype prints, which further solidified my artistic style.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Firstly, I want to further explore the narrative potential of monotype prints. Due to their randomness and experimental nature, they can’t depict tiny details as precisely as screen prints can. I’ve tried piecing together individual prints to create larger works to enhance their storytelling, but I want to explore and experiment with this method more, finding a balance between abstraction and realism.

More importantly, art for me is also a form of therapy. I see my creative process as a tool for self-healing. Whether it’s digital illustration or printmaking, I aim to express myself through my work, transforming painful experiences into something soft yet sharp, and showcasing them in my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kkjing.cargo.site
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jing_kuang10/
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/caijing-kuang-29bb25291