Coral Bird 2013

James Jean created this 'Coral Bird', and what strikes me is this intense, hyper-real quality, almost as if a dream has been meticulously brought into being. The artist, with his brush, seems to be in a constant state of negotiation, letting the piece emerge through trial, error, and a whole lot of intuition. Look at the texture – how the coral bursts into life, becoming this predatory bird! I can only imagine Jean's concentration, the countless tiny strokes building layer upon layer. What was he thinking? Maybe about the hidden connections between nature and the animal kingdom, about how life is constantly transforming. It reminds me a bit of Max Ernst, that surrealist playfulness. Painting is like a conversation, across time, space, and between artists. It’s like Jean is speaking to Ernst, and I’m here listening in, adding my two cents. It’s an invitation to see things from a new angle. Painting embraces ambiguity, offering up multiple interpretations, and that's the beauty of it, isn't it?