Descendent IV 2021

James Jean made this painting, "Descendent IV," using a range of media and a delicate pastel palette. Looking at it, I think of art-making as a dance between control and chance. There’s a dreamlike quality in the colors, with the figure tumbling down, or maybe floating up, into this space. The paint looks like it's been applied in layers, with thin washes and translucent glazes allowing earlier marks to peek through. The surface has a luminous quality, like a watercolor painting. The child's closed eyes give this figure an element of innocence. I'm struck by the way Jean combines elements of realism and fantasy. It reminds me a little of Odilon Redon, who also created these dreamy, ethereal images with a similar sensibility, exploring the subconscious through color and form. Ultimately, the power of art lies in its ability to embrace ambiguity.