BREATH 2018

Kexin Di made this painting, titled "Breath," using oil on canvas. It’s a beautiful and intimate portrait, and what strikes me is how Di uses light to model the form, carving it out of the darkness. There's a real push and pull between what's defined and what’s left to dissolve into shadow, like around the edges of the head and shoulders. Looking closely, you can see these soft, almost blurred edges where the figure meets the background, like the air itself is participating in the form. I love the way Di handles the paint. It’s both delicate and decisive, particularly in the face, where each stroke feels considered, building up to a very subtle yet expressive likeness. It reminds me of some of those older academic painters. Like John Singer Sargent, maybe? It's like she's in conversation with art history, but also very much doing her own thing. For me, it's a reminder that art is always a balancing act between precision and letting go.