Aviary 2019

Editor: So, we’re looking at “Aviary,” an acrylic painting by James Jean from 2019. It strikes me as both serene and unsettling. All those delicate lines and soft colours, but then there are these bizarre figures. What kind of commentary do you see at play here? Curator: "Commentary" is a useful way to think about Jean's work. He is very aware of the consumption and dissemination of images today. Here, he creates an idealized, almost orientalist scene, perhaps referencing traditional Chinese painting, but then disrupts it with unexpected, even jarring, elements. Consider the figures – are they innocents, observers, or something else entirely? What is the relationship between this exoticized fantasy and our modern visual landscape? Editor: That’s fascinating. It feels almost like he’s questioning the very idea of a peaceful escape. Are you saying the "serenity" is intentionally undermined? Curator: Precisely! He invites us into this world only to expose its artificiality. Look at the heavy outlines, the decorative patterning... They draw attention to the fact that it is a constructed image. Is it an idealized fantasy, or a critique of that very desire for escapism which has real political implications? And what role does this "psychedelic" element play? Editor: That really shifts my perspective. I was so focused on the surface-level beauty. The disruption isn’t a flaw; it's the point! Curator: Yes, it becomes a mirror reflecting our own expectations and desires back at us. This highlights that seemingly innocent aesthetic preferences are formed within broader, culturally determined frameworks. How do contemporary artists create space to reflect and change that? Editor: This has really made me think about how easily we accept images at face value, and how much deeper we need to look, especially in contemporary art. Curator: And it underscores the artist’s role in both creating and challenging our collective visual language, impacting societal values in both intended and unintended ways. A worthy cause for future exploration.