Jingwen Cao is a photography-focused, interdisciplinary artist. Unified by a profound engagement with the interplay of visual form and psychological depth, her work navigates the tension between flatness and dimensionality, abstraction, and figuration. Holding an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BFA from OCAD University, Jingwen’s practice is characterized by a deep commitment to both the conceptual and technical dimensions of photography, pushing the boundaries of photographic expression. Jingwen has exhibited internationally, including Bologna, New York, Providence, Berlin, and Toronto.




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Photography is both widely accessible and powerful. In a world where anyone can take a picture, the term "photographer" has become common. But photographs do more than capture—they reshape reality, influencing how we perceive and understand the world around us. They blur the line between what we see and what we imagine, stretching our emotional and psychological boundaries. The inherent flatness of photography, often seen as a limitation, is something I embrace. By compressing three-dimensional reality into two-dimensional form, sensory and emotional experiences are distilled, creating a tangible and intimate connection with the viewer. This compression mirrors the tension between the visual world and inner psychological states.

I use photography to explore the intersection between flatness and depth, abstraction and figuration. Through light, structure, and color, I delve into the delicate balance between control and chaos, distance and closeness, emotional restraint and melancholy. My work seeks to rethink the contemporary definition of human connection, examining how we relate to one another in a world where intimacy and isolation often coexist. By reimagining the fluid relationships between "you," "I," and "it," I aim to investigate how we engage in introspection while maintaining distance from the external world. My work explores how society is formed, sustained, and fractured in a time when connection can feel both immediate and distant.