Skippers II 2019

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to "Skippers II," a 2019 mixed-media piece by James Jean. It strikes me with its vibrant, almost dreamlike palette. Editor: Absolutely, the color story is immediately arresting. There's this pastel explosion, but with an unsettling undercurrent. Are we meant to feel joy, or something else entirely? Curator: I think Jean intentionally evokes that ambiguity. He uses familiar pop-surrealist tropes – stylized figures, fantastical elements – but filters them through a contemporary lens of gender performativity and coded meaning. That character on the right with a cat nestled into her cap seems particularly telling. Editor: Tell me more about your interpretation of the character in the pink hat. Is it supposed to challenge the existing norms through symbolic meanings of gender roles and norms, as well as identities? How are the conventions of surrealism in this mixed-media painting employed by James Jean as an allegory or social commentary? Curator: Well, cats have historically held potent symbolic weight in art – femininity, independence, sometimes even witchcraft. And then look at her task, trying to wrangle a figure on the left using those lasso-like hoops. To me, this resonates with current conversations around power, agency, and the often-complex labor of care. Editor: Interesting, that pulls on the dynamic relationship in art, and on top of this one could also question the role and impact of art within societal conversations, how it might encourage dialogue, or critique various social norms. Are the figures potentially a form of visual activism? And furthermore, what could that reveal about the public responsibility or engagement for artists themselves? Curator: Possibly. Jean, though, complicates any easy answers. The work is meticulously crafted. A fusion of acrylic painting, digital elements and even traditional surrealist techniques creates layers of visual information. Editor: The smoothness gives off a pop art gloss, like a product we're meant to consume without question. Considering the title, what 'skipping' are they doing, metaphorically? What is their dance a commentary on, socially and politically? Curator: The title makes me question childhood narratives and their inherent control dynamics, too. There’s an implied tension between youthful play and deeper societal scripts. Editor: "Skippers II" clearly exemplifies Jean's prowess to make a captivating composition on top of raising thought provoking commentary through an unsettlingly saccharine visual language. Curator: A truly remarkable piece in its subversion of initial impressions.