Bbblob

Where are you from and where do you reside?

I’m from Singapore and currently based here.

Where did the name Bbblob come from?

I came up with Bbblob during a conversation I had with friends. Bbblob is the sound water makes when it comes into contact with a surface. It suggests an organic form that is always evolving.

Describe a typical day in the studio for you.

Depends on what I’m working on - I could be creating sketches on my iPad or making cut-outs for collaging and painting. If I'm creating woodcuts, I go to a friend’s workshop, The Made Agency, where I cut out wood pieces. Sometimes my day involves sending out concepts and artworks to clients who I collaborate with. All of this usually happens in the evenings, as I have a day job as a brand designer.

What led you to creating the wood wall works?

It was a very organic process which started from paper collaging. I began to be curious about depth and shadows in the forms so I decided to adopt wood as a medium. It felt similar to paper cutting.

Are you formally trained?

Since I was young, I’ve always been inclined towards art and did art throughout grade school. Then I went to design school, as I was interested in pattern design, and took up fashion. After fashion, I wanted to create art again so I started Bbblob.

What themes or motifs are you consistently drawn to?

I like to explore harmony and balance. My organic forms are largely inspired by nature and the body. I’m always observing patterns found in nature and finding parallels between the way nature self-generates and how our body moves internally and externally. When I create a piece, it is always about composing harmony and building balance whether it is in the forms or the colours.

How important is spontaneity in your art?

My art is about capturing fleeting moments. It is always a feeling that I begin with, a sense of harmony, and I let that lead me into the artwork. The process of my initial sketches are spontaneous.

I’m always observing patterns found in nature and finding parallels between the way nature self-generates and how our body moves internally and externally.

Bbblob

How do the different elements of form and color come together in your works?

Colour has always been something I felt comfortable expressing. Even my early still life drawings were filled with colour. It was a natural progression for me to move into abstraction. The colours began to take shape when I started deconstructing the patterns I observed in nature and the body.

What tangible objects or intangible moments are you most interested in representing through your works?

My works express intangible moments that capture emotions of absolute harmony. When we feel so infinite and aligned with everything around us and within ourselves. My work captures a sense of hope and brings the viewer on a journey into that moment.

Do you admire or draw inspiration from any of your peers who are also working now? How solitary is your art-making process?

I remember passing by murals and installations by Camille Walala and Lois O’Hara when I was studying in London. They inspired me to do murals. Part of my art-making process is solitary. There is another part where I’m collaborating with other artists and designers in projects like making textile/surface prints and body painting. I always love to collaborate on works. It adds to the experience.

Are you influenced by any author or non-visual artist?

I’m influenced by musicians and producers. My experience with sound is similar to colour. Sounds are like dancing colours and I love listening to bright and muted electronic sounds by artists like Terr and Kevin Di Serna