João Zen symbolises the wise and resilient being, that always comes back to balance after being disturbed by outer factors. João Zen is based on the tumbler, called ‘Jõão Bôbo’ in Brazilian Portuguese. Bôbo means stupid, but João is not stupid, on the contrary, he masters the Zen attitude. The work can be pushed and will move in various directions, slowly coming back to its vertically aligned position.

Janet Vollebregt’s work is influenced by the many cultures she has been exposed to and immersed herself in, especially Brazilian and Japanese culture.