Nathanaëlle Herbelin
Feel the Pulse

In Shunde, a warm land with goodwill, Nathanaëlle Herbelin immersed herself in the rhythms of summer alongside her family. From the lively gathering around the Cantonese dining table to the tranquility of the dimly lit bedroom, from the dazzling city nights to the modest street corners, she observed the city with an eye attuned to catch the whispering beauty and tenderness hidden in ordinary life. Over the course of two months, she also encountered locals, exchanging memories and emotions through the soft cadence of her brushwork.

Here, she experienced the pulse diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine for the first time, awakening in her a new understanding of the rhythms of life. Just as a physician reads the pulse to understand the body’s state, an ancient Chinese folk saying also describes the process of a wise person revealing truths in a few simple words as “taking the pulse.” With her acute sensitivity to the surrounding environment and the delicate dynamics between people, Herbelin “feels the pulse” of Shunde through her painting, capturing the heartbeats of the city on her canvas. The unassuming glimpses take on a quiet radiance, revealing the sincerity and beauty that reside in the pulse of ordinary life.