Lai reconoce que en su obra existen muchos de sus antecedentes culturales asiáticos, así como aspectos de la cultura de Singapur: el folklore, la mitología y las leyendas chinas. Poseedora de un estilo fresco y personal, la artista dice estar intentado incorporar técnicas aprendidas en occidente, conseguiendo asimilarlas para fusionarlas con sus influencias familiares. Colores vibrantes y complejos detalles para unas creaciones en las que Lai mezcla deseos, realidades y fantasía invitando al espectador a sumergirse en mundos donde la melancolía y la ironía van de la mano. La protagonista absoluta de sus obras es la mujer, quizá como respuesta a su ausencia en el teatro tradicional chino del que tan imbuida parece su obra.
Jolene Lai es originaria de Singapur, en la actualidad reside y trabaja en Los Angeles. Licenciada en arte en su país natal, Lai completó sus estudios de diseño gráfico en la universidad de Ucla.
ENG: Her oil paintings exist in a realm where reality and surrealism intersect in interesting and bizarre ways. In her pieces, which mostly feature young women as the centerpiece, she’s not afraid to take something aesthetically pretty and then taint them with something grotesque (like random chicken heads!). There’s also a consistent “broken doll” theme in her work. Lai says her paintings are often inspired “by the weird and spooky (sic) within Asian beliefs and culture.” Her recent Playground series echoes that sentiment, showcasing three pieces that are all cleverly creepy. Lai works primarily in oil on canvas or mixed media on watercolor paper. Using bold color and shape and intricate detail, she achieves a seductive aesthetic and a mix whimsy, melancholy, irony and absurdity. Lai seeks to engage the viewer with images that are approachable and newly imagined spaces that invite exploration.
Jolene Lai was born and raised in Singapore. She studied painting at Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts and graphic design at UCLA. After graduating, she spent a year working at a design agency before returning to fine art. She is currently based in Los Angeles.
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