Jacelyn Zhen
Flutter flare, 2025
Acrylic on shaped canvas and woodcut
70 x 120 x 5 cm

Flutter flare

William Paley in 1802 suggested that if a watch implies a watchmaker then there must be guided teleology for things even more complex. This sculpture teases a purpose without ever declaring it. Its a modularised abstraction with each cut segment resplendent in its own regalia and unique irregular form. Colours nestle together optimistically and energetically.

The tessellation is not complete and the heights of each section vary to lend stepped depth glowing like a paved path. Despite the clean angular precision there is an emergent curvature. It clings confidently to the wall with lines drawn neatly like a map of conquest. The partition though finds certain districts enclosed by neighbouring satrapies.

The will to order struggles against an entropic tide. Variations in hue give an illusion of intersplicing rather than just assembly. Dual identities simultaneously present at these points like a remembrance. The smooth application of paint in parts neon, fleshy pastel, and marine whilst visually consonant creates an enigma. There is a conceptual dissonance of an organic cerebrum tinted, dissected, made diagrammatic.

Exhibited at ArtEvol'25 at the Saatchi Gallery in September 2025.