Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaqueline Cedar.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up in Los Angeles and was raised in a house filled with art, books, and videos. Making/creating was always valued and prioritized. As an undergraduate at UCLA I studied art (focusing on painting and photography) with a short stint in philosophy and the sciences. I’m a curious person by nature so asking questions and dissecting problems has always had my interest. In 2007 I moved to NYC to pursue a graduate degree at Columbia University. I wanted to keep making art and New York seemed like the right place for gaining exposure to a range of artists and institutions. I’ve been in NYC since and I’m inspired daily by this place. I feel lucky to be surrounded by a community of artists and thinkers that are interested in absorbing culture and investigating new ideas.
Please tell us about your art.
I make mostly paintings, drawings, and lately some soft sculpture. I’m interested in describing the way people interact and behave in relation to each other and their immediate surroundings. A majority of the people/characters described in my work are trying to form some sort of contact or connection with each other or the spaces they inhabit. The figures are drawn in a graphic style – partially so I can work from my imagination without a direct reference point, and also because I think this kind of line and paring down of information brings levity and humor to my otherwise more existential bent. The figures are often life-size – the goal being that a viewer might feel as if they could physically enter the work. Lately I’ve been interested in collaborating with other artists (writers, performers). I’m currently working on a book of images that illustrate a poem written by my father and I’m hoping to test out some choreography and video work in the near future.
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Personally, the goal has always been to get the work out in the world as often as possible. When I’m making, showing, and participating in a critical dialogue/context I feel stoked to continue pushing the practice forward. Prioritizing time in the studio along with exposure to new places, people, and conceptual/visual challenges keeps me motivated and active.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Recent paintings/installations and interviews are on my website at www.jaquelinecedar.com. I’ll be participating in a group exhibition of artist books and zines at Life Lessons Garage this August curated by Lauren Faigeles and Caitlin McBride. Details coming soon!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jaquelinecedar.com
- Email: jcedar@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaquelinecedar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaqueline.cedar
Image Credit:
Cedar_Jaqueline_Portrait.jpg Esther Boston
Cedar_Jaqueline_01.jpg Etienne Frossard
Cedar_Jaqueline_02.jpg Etienne Frossard
Cedar_Jaqueline_03.jpg Esther Boston
Cedar_Jaqueline_04.jpg Etienne Frossard
Cedar_Jaqueline_05.jpg Etienne Frossard
Cedar_Jaqueline_06.jpg Etienne Frossard
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