At Art Basel Miami Beach, Baishui debuted a series of monumental raindrop sculptures, exploring ideas around water, transformation, and strength.

At the recently concluded Art Basel Miami Beach, seven "raindrops" made their debut. These large-scale mirrored, stainless-steel sculptures slowed down the hurried pace of the audience, prompting them to stop and reflect. Normally tiny and fleeting raindrops were given a reversed proportion relative to humans, becoming enormous, solid, and smooth. These are the latest works by Shanghai- and Hong Kong-based artist Baishui. "I attempt to provoke viewers to think from another perspective, to reflect on the relationship between humans and natural objects, as well as the relationship between humans and themselves," she explained.

Before heading to Miami, Baishui shared in an interview that her initial conversations with Land artist Alan Sonfist about the project were like "bringing withered wood back to life." Through this collaboration, she hoped to explore how contemporary artists interpret the evolving interplay between nature and technology across time and continents.

Water is a recurring theme throughout her creative career. Rather than focusing on water itself, she is more intrigued by the philosophy of water, which has even led her to form a unique "cosmology of water." "Raindrop" (2024) continues her storytelling about water, portraying seven different forms of raindrops falling from clouds and their life cycle -- from descending to the ground to dissipating. Raindrops may briefly transform into rivers and lakes or exist within plants and animals before returning to the sky, ready to fall again. While the life of a raindrop seems fleeting, the life of water is eternal.

The project was showcased as part of Land Art Forward -- an environmental art platform -- presentation. These seven uniquely shaped raindrops were exhibited alongsideSonfist's Burning Forest (2024), forming a collaborative art project titled "Rebirth in the Inferno." The concept of fusing water and fire reflects the urgency of the environmental challenges posed by climate change and the hope for renewal.

I had the chance to chat with Baishui, and our conversation is featured in the Q&A below. However, I am even more curious about her next project. She mentioned that it would be centered around sound. "I want to extract the sound of plants. In real life, sound can penetrate, spread, and resonate," she said. "This is similar to water -- it gathers from tiny droplets to create greater resonance."

Water is central to your work, both as a core medium and concept. Can you tell us about your name, "Baishui," which literally means "white water"? Why is water so significant in your creations?

For me, water is equivalent to life. Water is transparent, and everything can pass through it. It seems to be an existence of nothingness, but at the same time, water can act as a mirror. In it, we can see our reflection, the sky, clouds, the sun, the moon, and even the entire world. Water can be gentle, but it is also incredibly strong -- nothing can break water. So, water is both the softest and the strongest of substances. I am deeply fascinated by the philosophy of water, which is why it runs throughout my work.

My name is also derived from this philosophy of water. In Chinese tea culture, there is a saying: "With ten parts water and eight parts tea, you can brew ten parts tea; but with eight parts water and ten parts tea, you will only get eight parts tea." This illustrates the importance of pure water. I hope to be like water, reflecting all things in the world and seeing oneself through them. In the reflection of water, one can touch oneself, continuously change, and embrace all things.

Once Art Basel confirmed the theme of the project, how did you conceptualize your work around environmental issues? Does this align with the themes you usually focus on? For example, how does your "Raindrop" series interact with Alan Sonfist's Burning Forest?

Environmental awareness is very important to me. The Taoist concept of "wu wei" (meaning non-action) offers an ideal approach to nature and environmental protection. It doesn't mean doing nothing, but rather following the flow of nature. Humans are a part of nature, and I believe that respecting nature's changes and the lives of animals is the root of environmental protection. It's not the Earth that needs humans, but humans who need nature.

For artistic dialogue and interaction, I believe it's important to first understand the underlying logic of another artist's language and their sources of inspiration. This allows our works to converse and connect. In a sense, the inclusion of water in Burning Forest symbolizes hope for rebirth and visualizes the climate crisis through burning wood, complements my "Raindrop" series, creating a meaningful dialogue.

Could you tell us about your new series "Raindrop" at Art Basel Miami Beach? What is special about its content and your creative approach?

The "Raindrop" series consists of seven installation pieces, depicting the seven forms of raindrops as they fall from clouds. Through these forms, I aim to portray the lifecycle of water. While a raindrop's descent from the sky to the ground seems fleeting, the life of water is continuous. Raindrops are formed from the evaporation of rivers, lakes, and oceans. After falling, they appear to disappear, but they persist in the air, rivers, plants, and animals. Countless times, they return to the sky and fall again. Each disappearance marks the beginning of another cycle, akin to the concept of reincarnation in Oriental culture.

In Buddhism, there's a mold called "water tazza," where believers imprint blessings onto water to send good wishes to nature. Raindrops, like celestial water tazzas, carry life's blessings, imprinting them onto rivers, forests, animals, and humans. During their brief descent, raindrops dance independently, showcasing beauty and resilience. Water holds universal significance; it unites all life under the same sky, much like how we all share the same moon. Rain and the moon are the same; they symbolize a unified world. The falling of raindrops embodies and reflects this unity, reminding us that every individual is part of nature's metabolism, or rather, a cycle of life that encompasses the entire world. Once again, as all raindrops flow into rivers, they lose their individuality and merge into the collective unity of the water. Could this be another form of life's rebirth?

Your work spans various mediums, including painting, sculpture, installation, and the incorporation of new media. We're curious about your early artistic training and influences. Additionally, how do you interpret and innovate with traditional Chinese ink painting, and which artists or movements have had the most significant impact on you?

As a child, my father taught me how to use a brush for calligraphy. I also studied painting with a well-known local artist, which was likely my earliest artistic inspiration. Later, after moving abroad for school, I stopped creating art for a while, but my passion for Chinese ink painting never faded. Ink painting encompasses so much -- it explores density, the interplay of light and dark, and pushes black to its extremes. For instance, in my "Quantum Roses" series, I explored using Chinese ink on non-traditional materials, combining the traditional with Western canvas.

To me, ink painting is both a profoundly simple and infinitely transformative medium, much like the Daoist principle of "one giving birth to two, two giving birth to three, and three to all things." I'm also deeply inspired by interdisciplinary works, particularly the "weather art" of Olafur Eliasson. His ability to visualize climate change through technology and provoke reflections on humanity's role in the environment has given me significant inspiration.

Using AI as a tool for creation differs greatly from traditional mediums like painting and sculpture. Yet, your AI-generated works stand out for their textures and layers, rather than being overly polished. How do you achieve this effect?

"Stitching things together" on the computer is a joyful process for me. Human creativity remains the most vital aspect of artistic creation, even when using AI as a tool. In my work, AI is integrated with manual techniques to blend their strengths. For example, parts of my "Quantum Roses" series were hand-drawn, while the surface of the "Ocean" series involved collage, resin, and fishing lines. The Raindrop installations, with their crystal glass elements, were meticulously crafted offline.

This combination ensures that my works are not entirely machine-like but instead feature the organic irregularities and spontaneity of human touch. These variations bring depth and texture to the pieces, making them more layered and engaging.

Your works, such as "Ocean," "Quantum Roses," and now "Raindrop," differ significantly in execution yet all possess great tension. How do you navigate between different mediums, and how do you overcome the "coldness" often associated with new media and technology?

I believe one of an artist's most important abilities is to choose the right medium to convey their emotions and ideas while resonating with the audience. Therefore, I spend considerable time selecting materials, mediums, and methods of expression during the creative process.

In the "Ocean" series, I used AI technology to generate visuals inspired by my experiences diving in the deep sea, capturing its richness and vibrancy. These digital images, with their varied hues and flowing lines, were printed onto traditional silk, then hand-cut and collaged, pushing the boundaries of two-dimensional painting.

In "Quantum Roses," I arranged countless ink-painted roses in a spiral, blending the brushstrokes of traditional Chinese ink with the mathematical elegance of Fibonacci sequences. This layering technique created four distinct planes of depth within each piece.

For the "Raindrop" series, the mirrored surfaces of the raindrop sculptures reflect their surroundings and the viewers themselves. The exteriors are strong and smooth, while the interiors are transparent and delicate. By amplifying the small, I encourage viewers to observe and reconsider the relationship between humans and objects. The shift in scale -- making raindrops larger than life -- forces people to confront the forms and meanings of water they might otherwise overlook.

For me, medium is never a formality but a vehicle for expression. Even when incorporating new media and technology, my works aim to highlight human thought and emotion, reducing the "coldness" often associated with technological art.

Could you share details about your next major project?

On March 30, 2025, I will have the first large-scale solo exhibition of my career at the Chun Art Museum in Shanghai. This exhibition will feature several of my significant past series of easel works and interactive installations. My new series, "Geocenter" (2024), will also debut at this solo show. This series continues the collaborative artistic approach of handwork and AI used in my Ocean series, reflecting my ongoing focus on natural elements. I hope everyone will have the opportunity to encounter my new series at the exhibition.