Meet Helen Jiayu Zhang

We had the good fortune of connecting with Helen Jiayu Zhang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Helen Jiayu, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
The quote that inspires and encourage me to create the work that I do now is by Rick Rubin in book The Creative Act: A Way of Being: “Everyone is inherently creative. To access that creativity you just need to commit to a creative practice.” In this creative period, I found myself enjoying the idea of making without thinking too much about the final production. The process, which is a creative act, can become art. Rather than worrying it about what the final work will look like, or if it is good enough, it is more meaningful to focus on the practice itself. For me, as an artist who utilize design and performance to create, it is finding a creative method to bring daily object and thoughts to life. The most beautiful part of art is always being present and constantly thinking. This quote help me pass through some vulnerable time of creating. It let me realizes the shine of the process and be inspired and sensitive to creative thoughts in daily life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It is definitely a long journey, and I am still on it now. I’ve learnt to create what I care and passionate about even it can be niche. I learnt to follow my own voice and design notion, to create work that I defines as art. My work focuses on bring honest concept about essence that involves multi-disciplinary, including using the system and creative form of design, the ephemeral of performance, the organic of movement and body, the poetic language, experimental photography, and unfamiliar daily objects. The visual has to be a nature and logical reaction, representation, and reflection of the content within. Every project is to create a suitable and unique system and method, so that the form can be the subject matter itself. I want to encourage people to see the world and object we see everyday with a different perspective, to gain inspiration and energy from the surrounding. To be mindful. And also be curious about the essence of life, nature, and humanity, etc. In this way, the work and idea can be sustainable, and not pure visual candy that AI can generate or think about, or use for anything else. For me in this modern era surrounded by technology that can potentially replace human production, the initial thought and action of letting the concept exists in the physical world defines art. Just like religion, science, and philosophy, art is about who we are and where we came from.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I will bring them to my favorite book store-Printed Matter in St.marks, have some boba milk tea and Chinese hot pot in East village. Shop in Beacon for vintage clothing, have a coffee at O’Cafe near my school, and walk around my everyday life area and check out my college. I would like to share my life and memory at those place. Go for a walk in Brooklyn Botanic garden and prospect park. Visit some of the “must see” museums. Watch a broadway show, and see New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. I will be happy to introduce my dance class at Jeffrey Ballet School just to feel the connection between mind and body.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mentor is my high school art teacher. I wouldn’t have become an artist or even be in the art field without her. She introduces me the real side of art and design when I was a “blank sheet of paper”. I always think about her now, thanking her recognizing my potential and talent. As a child who grew up in Aisa, people always have the idea of “only a kid who can paint and draw well since very young can pursue the creative path.” However, as a kid who had never taken a drawing class, I was afraid to even thought about majoring in Design. The only thing I knew was that my father did, Business. I always thought I was going into Business till I met my mentor. I told her how passionate and excited I was when I knew the word Design as a middle schooler. Even though I didn’t know what exactly design is, but I had goosebumps thinking about it. After take the black and white decoration drawing class with her, My life changed. She encouraged me to make the bravest decisions I’ve ever made till now.

Website: https://helenjz.com/

Instagram: helen_jzhang

Other: https://www.are.na/helen-zhang/my-fooood

Image Credits
Photography credit: Flora Feng, Sean Yuan