People
THE ART OF LETTING GO
Jacob Grönbech Jensen (b. 1984) is a visual artist and designer based in Copenhagen. His work lives in the intersection of art and graphic design, influenced by the worlds of music, storytelling and imagery.
Embracing an intuitive way of working, drawing and mark making are essential to his practice. His ink drawings of broken or repetitive lines form a body of work that is both lyrical and playful, created by using traditional ink and paper on non-absorbent surfaces.
Ahead of ARKET and JACOB GRÖNBECH JENSEN collaboration launch for A/W 2022, we spoke to the artist to hear his reflections on his artistry, the ink drawings used for this collaboration and the freeing art of letting go of control.
‘I work as a graphic designer, and I run my own freelance studio working with clients within art, design, fashion and music and also with branding and more commercial projects. Drawing and more three-dimensional work is more of a break from my regular screen work. It’s nice making things that can be placed around me so I can look at them. The drawings used for this ARKET collection follow a style I have been working with for the last couple of years.’
‘For this technique, there is a big part of letting go, of not really knowing the outcome.’
‘I do really like working from my studio. The most important is to have a place to house and store all the things and projects I make – they sure can’t stay at our home. So, it’s like an archive or second home for what I do and make. And I like the idea of archives – storing ideas and images for inspiration. I like collecting and creating materials, tools, as well as books and other inspiration from thrift stores, book shops, antique stores and flea markets. Even though I have a folder for inspiration on my computer it really doesn’t beat looking through books, scraps, sketches and things.’
‘As I have worked in retail before, I have designed my fair share of graphics for clothes, prints and patterns. That is why it was extra fun to work out patterns for ARKET, but now based on my own drawings. I hadn’t done that in quite a while. I really like working out patterns since it can be very complicated to make it all work and look nice.’
‘The specific line style and the materials I use for my ink drawings have been rather constant since the moment I started with them a few years ago. They get refined over time but it also depends on what mood or flow I’m in. I have more focused drawings sessions that vary in intensity. At the moment I’m not drawing allot – but I can feel I’m saving up to something. Saving energy and inspiration.’
