Sun Tarot 2018

James Jean made ‘Sun Tarot’ with paint, though I don't know when. The flat application of color gives this work an almost graphic quality, like a very high-end illustration. The orange figure, covered in blooms, is a kind of avatar for the life force. The smoothness of the paint and the crispness of the lines create a surreal, dreamlike feel. There's a real tension here, between the organic, flowing forms of the flowers and the figure, and the sharp, geometric lines that cut through the composition. Those lines feel like rays of energy, or maybe even a kind of visual interference. Look at how the artist uses color to create depth and shadow, especially in the background, where the dark greens and blues give the sense of a deep, mysterious forest. Jean's work reminds me a little bit of Yoshitomo Nara, in the way he combines pop culture with traditional art techniques. But Jean's got his own thing going on, a kind of psychedelic, hyper-detailed vision. Ultimately, what this piece is about remains open to interpretation, and that's part of its power.