The Shape of Water 2017

Here we have James Jean’s, “The Shape of Water,” a monochromatic image of an embrace. It’s a fluid dance of line and form, all awash in dreamy blues and greens. I can almost feel Jean’s hand moving across the surface, coaxing these figures into being. I can imagine him thinking about the push and pull of attraction, the mystery of connection. Do you see how the two figures intertwine, becoming almost indistinguishable from one another? It’s like they’re submerged, not just in water but in a feeling, a shared experience that transcends language. Jean is a master of detail, look at the scales on the amphibian man’s skin, rendered with such care and precision. And notice how this detail contrasts with the more loosely defined hair of the woman, creating a beautiful tension between the real and the imagined. For me, this piece speaks to the power of love and acceptance, of seeing beyond the surface to the depths within. It reminds me that art, at its best, can be a bridge, connecting us to one another and to something larger than ourselves.