Shroud 2018

James Jean made this dreamy painting, "Shroud," with layers of semi-transparent colors, building up a scene that feels both familiar and otherworldly. I can imagine Jean starting with a loose sketch, then slowly building up these ghostly figures with thin washes of paint. Notice how the colors overlap and blend, creating a sense of depth and movement. The figures, caught in a moment of contemplation, are surrounded by geometric shapes, like thoughts or memories floating in the air. The flat color palette and crisp lines give it a graphic, almost digital feel, but the hand-painted quality is undeniable. It reminds me of other artists, like Lisa Yuskavage, who are exploring figuration in a contemporary way. There's something very tender about the way these figures are rendered, as if Jean is trying to capture a fleeting moment of beauty or vulnerability. Ultimately, painting is about exchange, and artists are forever in dialogue with each other, remixing and reinterpreting ideas across time.