An Interview With Jacelyn Zhen
Jacelyn Zhen is a visual artist and designer from Singapore. Under her moniker Bbblob, her works explore harmony in form and colour. Bright, vivid and organic shapes interacting with one another to represent our relationship with ourselves and others. Making works that capture the transient nature of emotions.
She creates across various mediums including murals, printmaking, painting and sculpture. Influenced by her design background, she forms her own shape language. In the process of balancing forms, her works find rhythm and unity.
Can you tell us a little bit about you?
I am an abstract artist exploring harmony in form and colour. My works play with painting and sculpture through shaped paintings and woodcuts. When painting, I look at how forms curve, overlap and contrast one another into a shape language of colour and pattern.
What is your artistic process and how has it evolved since you began painting?
My process starts with small studies. I draw out ideas and compositions on procreate. I also work with paper collage. Recently, I’ve been going back to colour pencil studies, it’s a slower, more intimate process. It’s also refreshing to flow between various ways of creating to give myself different perspectives. While creating paper collages, I discovered my woodcut medium. Since working with woodcuts and shaped canvases, my works have become more sculptural. As I continue painting, I started incorporating more layers, gradients and patterns.
Why do you chose to create under the moniker 'Bbblob' and is there meaning behind the name?
Bbblob embodies an organic form in constant motion. It is also an onomatopoeia for a drop of water, relating an element of sound to my works. Often times, I see a rhythmic tone when looking at abstract forms. Both colour and sound are emotional forms of expressions. In Bbblob’s world, you are dipping into a vibrant landscape of emotions.
How does working with shaped canvases and woodcuts affect your choice and use of colour?
Bringing a sculptural dimension to my works, I began to be sensitive to other elements like the light and shadow of colour. It inspires me to paint with gradients, adding more depth to my work.
What is the importance of finding balance within your work?
Balance is a visual and intuitive essence in painting my compositions. Like a chromatic song, colours are interacting in harmony with one another. Each element influences the balance of the other, bright with pastel, round and pointed, to play with contrast and create rhythm in the work.
Your earliest memory of art?
When I was younger, I would keep files of magazine cut outs like a physical Pinterest and make collages from them. It was such a simple and fun way of making mood boards.
Who or what is your biggest artistic inspiration?
My inspiration comes from a way of looking at forms, observing, drawing and thinking in forms. Still life drawing has been helpful in refining my eye and understanding silhouette and proportion. I also enjoy gallery visits, looking at works by modern and post modern artists has cultivated my love for expressive abstraction.
Are there any particular artists that you are currently enjoying?
During my trip to Delhi, India, I got to see some amazing textile work by NorBlack NorWhite, a fashion collective that showcased some textile work in a group show for India Art Fair.
What is your favourite book or film and why?
As a design student studying fashion, I picked up Design as Art by Bruno Munari. Being inspired by art, I like the way the book elaborates on the role of art in design. The playful graphic explorations in the book resonate with my process in exploring forms.
Are you working on any projects you are particularly excited about?
I am working on a mural project for one of CapitaLand's new office in Singapore. The murals will feature playful abstract compositions. It is always exciting to be creating large paintings for a space.