In Conversation with Jocelyn Tsaih
To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we're highlighting the practice of New York-based artist Jocelyn Tsaih. In discussing how heritage impacts her work, Jocelyn reflects on her own identity, and how growing up in-between Eastern and Western cultures has led her to create an intermediary world filled with with her iconic, amorphous figures. Watch the full interview on Instagram, or continue reading below.
Where are you from and where are you currently based?
I was born in Taiwan, raised in Shanghai, and am currently based in New York City.
Can you describe your artistic style and the kind of work you create?
I work in different mediums, including painting, drawing, digital illustrations and ceramics. I think I describe my style as a combination of figurative, abstract and illustrative.
How long have you been working in this style or with these materials?
The focal aspect of my work always involves an amorphous figure, which I've been drawing since 2013. The work that I make comes from a desire to express our shared human experience. I'm interested in exploring ways to convey our wide spectrum of emotions and experimenting with ways to capture and evoke feelings that may be relatable.
My work has become a sort of home for me, a place where I feel grounded. Through making my work and painting my figures, I feel like I've created a world of the in between that I've always existed within.
Jocelyn Tsaih
What moments in your process do you enjoy the most?
I love the brainstorming portion of figuring out how to communicate certain ideas through imagery, color and composition. It feels like visual problem solving to me, and even though the outcomes aren't always what I plan for, it's exciting and rewarding to sit with the entire process.
What does 'heritage' mean to you?
I think that my heritage, culture and identity come through my work in ways that are a little bit more subtle. Having grown up in between Eastern and Western cultures, I've always experienced this push and pull of contrasting beliefs and values. Sometimes it feels like I'm in limbo because I'm not fully tethered to one or another. My work has become a sort of home for me, a place where I feel grounded. Through making my work and painting my figures, I feel like I've created a world of the in between that I've always existed within.
