The Garden Is Open

Hashimoto Contemporary is pleased to present The Garden is Open, a solo exhibition by Brooklyn-based artist Jocelyn Tsaih. The show is Tsaih’s inaugural solo exhibition at Hashimoto Contemporary, in which she considers the idea of sanctuary and refuge. Largely inspired by community gardens, parks and botanical gardens found in New York City and the Bay Area, The Garden is Open reflects on Tsaih's sense of comfort when surrounded by plant-life and color, as well as their direct impact on her personal state of being. The Garden is Open is comprised of a series of oil paintings, custom built figurative wooden frames and ceramic sculptures, which feature a recurring semi-abstracted solitary figure gracefully coexisting with botanicals. The figures are found in various states of movement, floating across the picture plane or sitting upright, illustrating a sense of energy that can be experienced within an invigorating environment. Finding herself emotionally moved by color and the feelings they can evoke, Blues and purples are prominently featured throughout, providing a sense of peace to viewers. Tsaih placed special emphasis on the palette she worked with, merging bold vibrant colors with soft glows. “The process of creating work always brings me back to my inner self. I tried to tap into this aspect of art making because the meditative quality of it parallels my experience of being in spaces like gardens. In the moment of it all, it might feel like an escape, but I leave feeling more in tune with myself and in turn, more grounded in reality. This is what I hope to achieve with the introspective qualities within these paintings and sculptures - I hope they offer stability and clarity, acting as both refuge and a gentle reminder of inner strength.” —Jocelyn Tsaih Jocelyn Tsaih (b. 1992) is a Taiwan-born, Shanghai-raised artist. She received her BFA in Graphic Design at the School of Visual Arts. Through she works in various mediums, the connecting thread throughout her work is her depiction of amorphous figures, often portrayed in abstracted, liminal spaces. She aims to touch on the emotional aspects as well as the otherworldliness of our human experience. The figures in Tsaih’s work act as extensions of herself. As someone who grew up between multiple cultures and worlds, she’s created her own version of the “in-between”. This is where the figures, and herself, are free to just be. She utilizes color, form and composition to create images that convey strong moods, possibility for curiosity and space for introspection.