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For 35-year-old movement artist Ruby Jayaseelan, her passion for the arts stemmed from her adolescent years. “I have always found myself gravitating towards art since I was a teenager,” recalls the self-assured creative. “I revelled in charcoal drawings, make-up artistry, crewing and casting in theatre, dance and more.” Eventually, her obsession with the curiosities and experimentation of the body grew, and with that her budding interest in movement arts.
Having trained under the late Singaporean dancer-instructor Neila Sathyalingam, and boasting extensive experience in Bharatanatyam—a traditional South Indian dance form—and yoga, Jayaseelan has collaborated with various notable local initiatives including Starch and Singapore Art Week. Her practice is broad and dispersed; she is adept at performing, teaching, facilitating and choreographing.
Minimalism is at the forefront of Jayaseelan’s mind, present in the soul-baring and intimate approach to her work. Honed through years of studying ascetics, the multidisciplinary artist sheds light on what fuels her. “Everything around me to be honest, from the space and weather to my daily thoughts and emotions. We are ever-evolving as a species, and I value the privilege of being able to be my true and authentic self in this regard.”
On the sartorial front, Jayaseelan describes her wardrobe as a serendipitous junkyard, admitting that it is an amalgamation of pre-loved clothing and other treasured items collected through the years. “It could be a sari passed down for generations, or a good friend’s hand-me-down dress cut up to adapt to our weather, or pants from 15 years ago that have been unravelling but I keep sewing it up.” She also emphasises that comfort and mobility are key, factors heavily influenced by her occupation and lifestyle.
As for her thoughts on the current state of the creative industry, Jayaseelan notes that it is growing in new and dynamic ways. The recent surge in emerging talent and community events is proof of that, championed by the efforts of innovative trailblazers and passionate collectives. However, she is aware of the traditional social stigmas that are still omnipresent. “We are still stifled by the labels stuck onto us, and I would like us to stop categorising and restricting people into boxes for our own ease or agenda.”
Photography Zantz Han
Styling Bryan Ho
Hair and Make-up Zhou Aiyi/Makeup Entourage using KVDBeauty and Keune Singapore
The May ‘Escape’ issue of Vogue Singapore is now available for pre-order online and will be available in-store from 13 May.
