Year of Rooster 2017

Editor: So, this is James Jean's "Year of the Rooster," from 2017. It's acrylic paint, and the whole thing is cast in this dreamy blue hue. It's kind of mesmerizing but also unsettling. What do you see in it? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the symbolism. The rooster, obviously representing the Chinese zodiac, but beyond that, the layering of images—the girl, the bird, even the suspended mouse—suggests a complex cultural narrative. Think about the rooster's crowing: in some cultures, it's a symbol of vigilance, rebirth, even defiance of darkness. Do you see any other symbolic elements that resonate with you? Editor: The mouse hanging by a thread, literally and figuratively, feels significant. Like a fragile innocence threatened. And those little bits of red sprinkled throughout...are they symbolic too? Curator: Precisely. The red disrupts the serene blue, injecting passion, maybe even danger. Consider how these colours interact; blue often signals calmness, but here it seems almost melancholic, weighed down by the rooster's implicit responsibility and perhaps that sacrifice represented by the mouse. How does that combination strike you? Editor: It gives the whole scene this feeling of both serenity and tension. Like a calm before a storm. The rooster almost feels burdened by the mouse that's dangling in the air. Curator: The layering of imagery speaks to the layering of cultural memory, of expectations placed upon us. Jean uses these familiar symbols, distorts them, and recombines them to unlock new interpretations. What have you gleaned from your observation of these icons? Editor: I’m struck by how he uses familiar cultural icons to create something so personal and emotionally complex. It's more than just a zodiac painting. Curator: Indeed. Jean invites us to contemplate the weight of symbols, their evolving meanings and how they reflect and shape our own psychological landscapes.