We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kaini Zhang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kaini, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My professional ethics stem from a belief that art is not only a means of self-expression but also a way to engage with society and respond to reality. I hope my work can give back to the community and carry the responsibilities that come with being an artist.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m an artist and image researcher currently focused on exploring how forgotten or marginalized female figures can be reimagined and re-presented in the post-circulation age. My work often takes the form of visual archives, installations, and web-based pieces that challenge dominant narratives in image culture.
What excites me most is the intersection between personal memory, collective history, and new technologies. I’m particularly interested in how AI-generated visuals can be used not to erase the past, but to question who gets remembered—and how. For me, art is a space to hold complexity, to reassemble fragments, and to offer alternatives to linear, patriarchal storytelling.
Currently, I’m working on a web-based project titled How Forgotten Faces Return, which reconstructs erased female identities through speculative image repair. It will soon be publicly accessible online via https://lesarchive.cargo.site.
At its core, my practice is driven by care—care for stories lost in the margins, for bodies misrepresented or unseen, and for ways of seeing that resist consumption. I believe art can still be a tool for remembering differently.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities or abilities that have influenced me the most are: sensitivity, critical thinking, and the ability to learn across disciplines.
Sensitivity allows me to perceive the often-overlooked voices and details in everyday life. This is especially important in artistic creation and helps me build emotional connections with others.
Critical thinking has taught me to question narratives that are taken for granted—particularly when working with topics related to imagery, gender, and history. It’s a capacity that comes from ongoing practice.
Interdisciplinary learning enables me to draw nourishment from diverse fields—such as anthropology, visual theory, and media technologies—which enriches both my creative language and my way of thinking.
My advice to those just starting out: allow yourself to wander across different fields, even when there are no clear answers. Many valuable insights emerge precisely when we deviate from the expected path.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Yes, I’m open to collaborations—especially with artists, researchers, or curators interested in themes such as image, gender, memory, and archival practice. I’m particularly drawn to interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approaches, whether in co-creation, curatorial projects, or research-based work.
If you’re interested in my practice or would like to explore a potential collaboration, feel free to reach out via my website: https://liquidandrogyny.world or email me at: kainizhang00@gmail.com. I look forward to meaningful exchanges and future connections.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://liquidandrogyny.world/
- Instagram: kaini_zhang_00
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/凯妮-张-5b5753360
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