Year of Monkey 2016

James Jean made "Year of the Monkey" with what looks like watercolor or ink. It’s got this soft, dreamy quality to it, almost like a memory. You know, how things blur at the edges when you’re trying to recall them? The palette is muted. The colors are understated, but that doesn't make it boring. Look how the washes of color create depth and volume. It’s not just about the monkeys. It's about creating an atmosphere, and the way he’s rendered the smoke gives a sense of the ephemeral. The details are immaculate. I think of someone like Dürer, with all that tight hatching, or maybe even a bit of Beardsley's flowing lines, but Jean takes it somewhere else. It's not just about technical skill. It’s about taking these influences and making something that feels very now. Art is always a remix. It's about how we keep the conversation going.